Abstract:
A lens housing container for housing a plurality of lenses, comprising a long carrier tape having a supporting portion for supporting one ring-shaped surface of the flange portion of the lens, and a plurality of lens housing portions; and a long cover tape to be stuck on the carrier tape so as to cover the lens housed in the lens housing portion, wherein the supporting portion supports the one ring-shaped surface of the flange portion of the lens, so as not to come into contact with the one lens surface of the lens, the lens housing portion houses the lens so that a part of the other lens surface of the lens is projected from or is flush with the upper surface of the carrier tape, the cover tape restrains the lens housed in the lens housing portion from moving in the optical axis direction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a lens housing container for housing a lens having a flange portion formed along the edge of the main body of the lens. 
     In recent years, accompanied by the optical disk device becoming of high precision and compact, the thickness and the outer size of a lens for use in an optical pickup has become remarkably small. 
     Accordingly, it has been proposed to set a lens in a form housed in such a lens housing container as shown in FIG.  6  and FIG. 7 to a lens fitting device. 
     In these drawings, a plurality of cylindrical-shaped lens housing portions  1013  are formed in the long carrier tape  1010  by using a thermal forming method for example. 
     On the other hand, the lens  1001  is composed of the lens main body  1003  and the flange portion  1005  formed along the edge of the lens main body  1003 , and the lens surfaces  1007  and  1007 ′ project out of the ring-shaped surfaces  1009  and  1009 ′ of the flange portion  1005 . 
     In the lens housing portion  1013  of the carrier tape  1010 , the lens  1001  is housed in such a manner that it comes to the opening side the lens surface  1007  which projects out of the ring-shaped surface  1009  of the flange portion  1005  of the lens  1001 , and the supporting portion  1015  for supporting the ring-shaped surface  1009 ′ of the flange portion  1005  of the lens  1001  at the reverse side to the opening is formed in order not to make the other lens surface  1007 ′ come into contact with the carrier tape. 
     Further, the housing portion is designed in such a manner that the depth from the supporting portion  1015  of the lens housing portion  1013  of the carrier tape  1010  up to the opening is approximately equal to the thickness of the flange portion  1005  of the lens  1001 . 
     Accordingly, when the lens  1001  is housed in the lens housing portion  1013 , the lens surface  1007  become projected out of the carrier tape  1010 . 
     Further, by putting the cover tape  1021  so as to cover the opening of the lens housing portion  1013 , the flange portion  1007  of the lens  1001  is made to press the supporting portion  1015 ; thus, in the lens housing portion  1013 , it is prohibited that the lens  1001  moves in the optical axis direction, and it is prevented that the lens surface  1007  is flawed by the cover tape  1021 . 
     The carrier tape  1010  having the cove tape  1021  stuck on it is wound onto the reel  1008 , and is set in the lens fitting device. 
     However, in the lens housing container shown in FIG.  6  and FIG. 7, when the carrier tape having the cover tape  1021  stuck on it is wound round, as shown in FIG. 8, the bottom surface of the lens housing portion  1013  of the carrier tape  1010 , which is wound around the outer side of the cover tape  1021  with which the lens surface  1007  is in contact, comes into sliding contact with the cover tape  1021 , and by the movement of the cover tape  1021  in the direction of winding, it sometimes occurs that the lens surface  1007  of the lens  1001  is flawed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of the invention to provide a lens housing container which does not make the lens surface flawed when the carrier tape is wound round. 
     This invention to solve the above-mentioned problem is represented by any one of structures (1) to (8) described below. 
     Structure (1): A lens housing container for housing a plurality of lenses, comprising a long carrier tape having a supporting portion for supporting one ring-shaped surface of the flange portion of said lens, and a plurality of lens housing portions; and a long cover tape to be stuck on said carrier tape so as to cover said lens housed in said lens housing portion, wherein said supporting portion supports said one ring-shaped surface of said flange portion of said lens, so as not to come into contact with said one lens surface of said lens, said lens housing portion houses said lens so that a part of the other lens surface of said lens is projected from or is flush with the upper surface of said carrier tape, said cover tape restrains said lens housed in said lens housing portion from moving in the optical axis direction, said carrier tape has projections, and in order to make a clearance, in the state that said carrier tape having said cover tape stuck on it is wound round, between the portion of the cover tape facing said other lens surface of said lens housed in said lens housing portion and the portion of said carrier tape which is wound outside it, said projections of said carrier tape which is wound outside come into contact with the portion of the carrier tape or the cover tape which is wound inside. 
     Structure (2): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein the aforesaid cover tape is in contact with the other surface of the lens housed in the lens housing portion. 
     Structure (3): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein the projections are formed in the outer side area of a tangent which is tangent to the circular edge of the other lens surface of the lens to be housed and is parallel to the direction of winding of the carrier tape. 
     Structure (4): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein the height of the projections is equal to or larger than the sum of the projection amount of the housing portion from the carrier tape and the projection amount of the other lens surface of the lens from the other ring-shaped surface of the flange portion. 
     Structure (5): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein the projections are provided on the back surface of the lens housing portions. 
     Structure (6): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction among the projections have different cross-sectional shapes in the direction perpendicular to the height direction of the projections respectively. 
     Structure (7): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction among the projections are located at different positions with respect to said lens housing portions. 
     Structure (8): The lens housing container as set forth in structure (1), wherein the lens is a plastic lens. 
     Another preferable structures (9) to (14) of the present invention are as follows. 
     Structure (9) is a lens housing container comprising a long carrier tape having a plurality of lens housing portions having a supporting portion for supporting one ring-shaped surface of the flange portion of a lens formed so as not to make one surface of the lens come into contact with the bottom of the housing portion, in such a manner as to make a part of the other lens surface of said lens housed project out of or become flush with the upper surface of said carrier tape, and a long cover tape to be stuck on said carrier tape so as to cover the lens housed in the housing portion, and restraining said lens from moving in the optical axis direction by said cover tape, wherein, in order to make a clearance, in the state that said carrier tape having said cover tape stuck on it is wound round, between the portion of the cover tape facing the other lens surface of the lens housed in said lens housing portion and the portion of the carrier tape which is wound outside it, projections coming into contact with the portion of the carrier tape or the cover tape which is wound inside are formed on said carrier tape. 
     In order to make a clearance, in the state that said carrier tape having said cover tape stuck on it is wound round, between the portion of the cover tape facing the other lens surface of the lens housed in said lens housing portion and the portion of the carrier tape which is wound outside it, by forming projections coming into contact with the portion of the carrier tape or the cover tape which is wound inside on said carrier tape, the lens surface is not flawed when said carrier tape having said cover tape stuck on it is wound round. 
     In addition, in this invention, the flange portion means not only the portion which is definitely different in shape from the lens main body as shown in FIG. 2, but also the portion which is capable of being used optically but not to be used optically when it is actually mounted in a device or the like. 
     Structure (10) is a lens housing container as set forth in structure (9) wherein the aforesaid projections are formed in the outer side area of a tangent which is tangent to the circular edge of the other lens surface of the lens to be housed and is parallel to the direction of winding of said carrier tape. 
     By forming the projections at the outer side of a tangent which is tangent to the circular edge of the other lens surface of the lens to be housed and is parallel to the direction of winding of said carrier tape, it never occurs that the projections come into contact with the portion of the cover tape facing the other lens surface when the tape is wound round, and the lens surface is never flawed. 
     Structure (11) is a lens housing container as set forth in structure (9) wherein the height of the aforesaid projections is equal to or larger than the sum of the projection amount of the aforesaid housing portion from the carrier tape and the projection amount of the other surface of said lens from the other ring-shaped surface of the aforesaid flange portion. 
     By making the height of the aforesaid projections equal to or larger than the sum of the projected amount of aforesaid housing portion from the carrier tape and the projected amount of the other surface of said lens from the other ring-shaped surface of the aforesaid flange portion, the portion of the cover tape facing the lens surface does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the lens housing portion of the carrier tape wound outside it; therefore, the lens surface is not flawed. 
     Structure (12) is a lens housing container as set forth in structure (9) wherein the aforesaid projections are provided on the bottom surface of the aforesaid lens housing portions. 
     By providing said projections on the bottom surface of said lens housing portions, the clearance between the portion of the cover tape facing the other lens surface of the lens housed in said lens housing portion and the carrier tape which is wound outside it can be set at a small value. 
     Structure (13) is a lens housing container as set forth in structure (9) wherein the aforesaid projections are of at least any one of two kinds of projections, one of which is such one that any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction have different cross-sectional shapes in the direction perpendicular to the height of said projections respectively, and the other of which is such one that any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction are located at different positions with respect to said lens housing portions. 
     By making the projections be of at least any one of two kinds of projections, one of which is such one that any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction have different cross-sectional shapes in the direction perpendicular to the height of said projections respectively, and the other of which is such one that any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction are located at different positions with respect to said lens housing portions, the probability of one projection fitting into another projection is reduced when the carrier tape is wound round. 
     As a lens that is suitable to be housed in a lens housing container as set forth in any one of Structures (9) to (13), a plastic lens of structure (14) which is easy to flaw if it is handled without care can be cited. 
     In addition, this invention should not be confined to a plastic lens, but it is needless to say that a lens housing container of this invention can be applied to a glass lens. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan for explaining the first example of the embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view at the cutting line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in the case where one lens housing portion and another lens housing portion overlap each other when the carrier tape is wound round; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan for explaining the second example of the embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view at the cutting line  5 — 5  in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining the whole of a conventional lens housing container; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional lens housing container; and 
     FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining a point of problem in a conventional lens housing container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the following, examples of the embodiment of this invention will be explained by referring to the drawings. 
     (1) First Example of the Embodiment 
     The first example of the embodiment will be explained by referring to FIG. 1 to FIG.  3 . FIG. 1 is a plan, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view at the cutting line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in the case where one lens housing portion and another lens housing portion overlap each other when the carrier tape is wound round. 
     Besides, as shown in FIG. 2, the lens  1  which is explained in the examples of the embodiment of this invention is composed of the lens main body  3  and the flange portion  5  formed along the edge of the lens main body  3 , and it is taken as the subject such one that at least one lens surface, the lens surface  7  in the examples of the embodiment of this invention, projects out of the ring-shaped surface  9  of the flange portion  5 . 
     In the long carrier tape  11 , the plural cylindrical-shaped lens housing portions  13  are formed by a method such as a thermal forming method. 
     In this lens housing portion  13 , the lens  1  is housed in such a manner that the lens surface  7  which projects out of the ring-shaped surface  9  of the flange portion  5  comes to the opening  14  side, and the supporting portion  15  for supporting the ring-shaped surface  9 ′ of the flange portion  5  of the lens  1  on the reverse side to the opening  14  is formed. 
     Moreover, the lens housing portion  13  of the carrier tape is designed in such a manner that the depth (H) from the supporting portion  15  to the opening  14  of it is approximately equal to the thickness (h) of the flange portion of the lens  1 . 
     Accordingly, the top portion of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  projects out of the carrier tape  11 . 
     Further, the long cover tape  21  is stuck on the carrier tape  11  in order to cover the lens  1  housed in the lens housing portion  13 . 
     On the bottom surface of each of the lens housing portions  13 , the two projections  31  are formed. The height (Ht) of these projections  31  from the lens housing portion  13  is not smaller than the projection amount (hl) of the other lens surface  7  of the lens  1  from the other ring-shaped surface  9  of the flange portion  5 . 
     Further, for the positions to provide the projections  31 , they are formed in the outer side areas of the tangents L 1  and L 2 , which are tangent to the circular edge of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  to be housed and parallel to the winding direction of the carrier tape. 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 1, between any two projections  31  that are adjacent to each other in the winding direction, the positions of the projections  31  with respect to the pertinent lens housing portion are different. 
     In addition,  12  denotes the holes for centering which are engaged with cores of a device for feeding a tape or winding it. 
     According to the above-mentioned structure, as shown in FIG. 3, when the carrier tape is wound round, even in the case where one lens housing container and another lens housing container overlap each other, because the height (Ht) of the projections  31  from the lens housing portion  13  is made equal to or larger than the projection amount (hl) of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  from the other ring-shaped surface  9  of the flange portion  5 , a clearance Δh is formed between the portion of the cover tape  21  facing the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  housed in the lens housing portion  13  and the portion of the carrier tape  11  which is wound outside it, and the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  is not flawed. 
     By providing the projections on the bottom surface of the lens housing portion  13 , the clearance between the portion of the cover tape  21  facing the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  housed in the lens housing portion  13  and the portion of the carrier tape  11  which is wound outside it can be set at a small value. 
     Further, by providing the projections  31  in the outer side areas of the tangents L 1  and L 2 , which are tangent to the circular edge of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  to be housed and parallel to the winding direction of the carrier tape  11 , it never occurs that the projections  31  come into contact with the portion of the cover tape  21  facing the lens surface  7  of the lens  1 , and the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  is not flawed. 
     Furthermore, by making the positions of the projections  31  with respect to the pertinent lens housing portion  13  different between any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction, the probability of any one projection being fitted into another projection is reduced when the carrier tape is wound round, and the probability of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  being flawed is also reduced. 
     (2) Second Example of the Embodiment 
     Explanations will be given by referring to FIG.  4  and FIG.  5 . FIG. 4 is a plan and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view at the cutting line  5 — 5  in FIG.  4 . In addition, the same signs are put to the same parts as the first example of the embodiment, and repeated explanations will be omitted. 
     The point of difference between the first example of the embodiment and the second example of the embodiment is the projection. In the first example of the embodiment, the projections are provided on the bottom surface of the lens housing portion  13 ; however, as shown in FIG. 4, the projections  131  ( 131 ′) and  133  ( 133 ′) are provided at the positions other than the bottom surface of the lens housing portion  13 . 
     Among these, with respect to the projection  131  ( 131 ′) formed in the outer side area of the tangent L 1 , which is tangent to circular edge of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  and parallel to the winding direction of the carrier tape  11 , the two projections  131  and  131 ′, which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction, have different cross-sectional shapes in the direction perpendicular to the height direction respectively. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the cross-sectional shape of the projection  131  is a rectangle that is long lengthwise, and the cross-sectional shape of the projection  131 ′ is a rectangle that is long widthwise; these kinds of projections are alternately formed. 
     Further, regarding the projections  133  ( 133 ′) formed in the outer side area of the tangent L 2 , the projections  133  and  133 ′ have the same cross-sectional shape but are different in the position with respect to the lens housing portion  13 . That is, as shown in FIG. 5, regarding the two neighboring projections  133  and  133 ′, the projection  133  which is located near to the leftward lens housing portion  13  and the projection  133 ′ which is located near to the rightward lens housing portion  13  are alternately formed. 
     Further, the height of the projections  131  ( 131 ′) and  133  ( 133 ′) is made equal to or larger than the sum of the projection amount of the lens housing portion  13  from the carrier tape  11  and the projection amount of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  from the ring-shaped surface  9  of the flange portion  5 ; this height is the same as that in the first example of the embodiment. 
     According to the above-mentioned structure, when the carrier tape is wound round, even in the case where one lens housing portion and another lens housing portion overlap each other, because the height of the projections  131  ( 131 ′) and  133  ( 133 ′) is made equal to or larger than the sum of the projection amount of the lens housing portion  13  from the carrier tape  11  and the projection amount of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  from the ring-shaped surface  9  of the flange portion  5 , a clearance Δh is formed between the portion of the cover tape  21  facing the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  housed in the lens housing portion  13  and the portion of the carrier tape  11  which is wound outside it, and the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  is not flawed. 
     Further, by providing the projections  131  ( 131 ′) and  133  ( 133 ′) in the outer side areas of the tangents L 1  and L 2 , which are tangent to the circular edge of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  to be housed and parallel to the winding direction of the carrier tape  11 , it never occurs that the projections  131  ( 131 ′) and  133  ( 133 ′) come into contact with the portion of the cover tape  21  facing the lens surface  7  of the lens  1 , and the lens surface  7  is not flawed. 
     Further, regarding the projection  131  ( 131 ′), by making the two projections  131  and  131 ′, which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction, have different cross-sectional shapes in the direction perpendicular to the height direction respectively, the probability of the projection  131  being fitted into the projection  131 ′ is reduced, and the probability of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  being flawed is also reduced. 
     Further, by making different the positions of the projections  133  and  133 ′ with respect to the pertinent lens housing portion  13 , the probability of the projection  133  being fitted into the projection  133 ′ is reduced, and the probability of the lens surface  7  of the lens  1  being flawed is also reduced. 
     Besides, in the above-mentioned first and second examples of the embodiment, explanations have been given for an example in which the cover tape  21  with a broad width is used and the projections  31  and the projections  131  and  133  are made to come into contact with the cover tape  21 ; however, because the width of the cover tape  21  is enough if it covers the opening  14  of the lens housing portion  13 , for example, it is also appropriate that the projections  131  and  133  in the second example of the embodiment are formed at further outer positions from the tangents L 1  and L 2 , and the projections  131  and  133  are made to come into contact with the carrier tape  11 . 
     Further, in the above-mentioned first and second examples of the embodiment, the lens  1  is a convex lens, but the lens  1  may be a concave lens. In this case, the edge portion of the lens surface projects out of the carrier tape  11  . 
     As described in the above, according to the invention of structure (9), in order to make a clearance, in the state that the carrier tape having the aforesaid cover tape stuck on it is wound round, between the portion of the cover tape facing the other lens surface of the lens housed in the aforesaid lens housing portion and the portion of the carrier tape which is wound outside it, by forming projections coming into contact with the carrier tape or the cover tape in said carrier tape, the lens surface is not flawed when the carrier tape having the cover tape stuck on it is wound round. 
     According to the invention of structure (10), by forming the aforesaid projections in the outer side area of the tangents, which are tangent to the circular edge of the other lens surface of the lens to be housed and parallel to the winding direction of the aforesaid carrier tape, it never occurs that the projections come into contact with the portion of the cover tape facing the other lens surface of the lens, and the lens surface is not flawed. 
     According to the invention of structure (11), by making the height of the aforesaid projections [equal to or] larger than the sum of the projection amount of the aforesaid lens housing portion from the aforesaid carrier tape, and the projection amount of the other lens surface of the aforesaid lens from the ring-shaped surface of the aforesaid flange portion, the portion of the cover tape facing the lens surface does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the lens housing portion of the carrier tape which is wound outside it; therefore, the lens surface is not flawed. 
     According to the invention of structure (12), by providing the aforesaid projections on the bottom surface of the aforesaid lens housing portion, the clearance between the portion of the cover tape being in contact with the other lens surface of the lens housed in the aforesaid lens housing portion and the portion of the carrier tape which is wound outside it can be set at a small value. 
     According to the invention of structure (13), by making the aforesaid projections be of at least any one of the kinds of projections one of which is such one that any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction have different cross-sectional shapes in the direction perpendicular to the height direction of said projections respectively and the other of which is such one that any two projections which are adjacent to each other in the winding direction are located at different positions with respect to the aforesaid lens housing portions, the probability of one projection fitting into another projection is reduced when the carrier tape is wound round. 
     Disclosed embodiment can be varied by a skilled person without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.