LENS, LENS MODULE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

A lens is provided. The lens includes a lens tube and a plurality of lens elements received in the lens tube. A respective lens element includes an imaging section for imaging and a mounting section for assembling and arranged outside the imaging section. The plurality of lens elements includes at least one dimming lens element disposed close to an imaging plane, and a respective dimming lens element includes at least one dimming section parallel to an optical axis, wherein a vertical distance between a respective one of the at least one dimming section and the optical axis is smaller than a radius of the imaging section. In addition, a lens module and an electronic device installed with the lens are provided, which can reduce the distance between a screen opening and a frame of the electronic device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to the field of camera technology, and more particularly to a lens, a lens module, and electronic device.

BACKGROUND

In smart phones and other electronic devices, demands on full screens have been increasingly increased, and existing bangs screens, water drop screens, and digging screens are gradually unable to meet the market demand. Arrangement of a front lens in the screen is a main factor that affects development of the full screen due to the limitation of a lens size, especially a large size at a bottom of a lens module, and a large distance from an entrance pupil of the lens to a frame, and thus an opening of the lens needs to be arranged in the display region of the screen, which may occupy the area of the display region.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a lens, a lens module, and an electronic device.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosure aim to provide a lens, a lens module, and an electronic device with a small distance from an entrance pupil to a frame.

In order to achieve the above object, a lens is provided. The lens includes a lens tube and a plurality of lens elements. The plurality of lens elements received in the lens tube, wherein a respective lens element includes an imaging section for imaging and a mounting section for assembling and arranged outside the imaging section. The plurality of lens elements includes at least one dimming lens element disposed close to an imaging plane, and a respective dimming lens element includes at least one dimming section parallel to an optical axis, wherein a vertical distance between a respective one of the at least one dimming section and the optical axis is smaller than a radius of the imaging section. The lens tube includes a sky surface far away from the imaging surface and a side wall bent and extended from the sky surface, the side wall includes a planar wall parallel to the dimming section, and the at least one dimming section is arranged corresponding to the planar wall.

In some embodiments, the plurality of lens elements further include at least one trimming lens element, and the at least one trimming lens element is disposed on an object side of the at least one dimming lens element. A respective trimming lens element includes at least one assembly section parallel to the optical axis, and a vertical distance between a respective one of the assembly section and the optical axis is smaller than a radius of the mounting section and larger than the radius of the imaging section. The at least one assembly section is parallel to at least one dimming section or the at least one assembly section is coplanar with at least one dimming section.

In some embodiments, the planar wall is extended to the sky surface.

In some embodiments, the respective dimming lens element includes two dimming sections that are perpendicular to each other, and the lens tube includes two planar walls.

In some embodiments, the respective dimming lens element includes two dimming sections that are perpendicular to each other, the respective trimming lens element includes two assembly sections, and the lens tube includes two planar walls, wherein the two assembly sections and the two dimming sections are in one-to-one correspondence.

In some embodiments, each of the two planar walls is extended to the sky surface.

In some embodiments, a vertical distance between one of the two dimming sections and the optical axis is equal to a vertical distance between the other of the two dimming sections and the optical axis.

In some embodiments, a lens module is provided. The lens module includes the lens described in any aspect above, a housing for receiving the lens, and a sensor and a circuit board fixed to the housing, wherein the lens includes a lens tube, and the lens tube includes a sky surface far away from an imaging surface and a side wall bent and extended from the sky surface. The side wall includes at least one planar wall. The housing includes a top surface parallel to the sky surface and a side surface bent and extended from the top surface, wherein the top surface is rectangular and has an opening, the opening is defined by an opening arc edge and at least one opening straight edge, and a diameter of an entrance pupil of the lens is located inside the opening, where the at least one opening straight edge is parallel to the planar wall, and the side surface includes first side surfaces parallel to the at least one opening straight edge and second side surfaces each connected between first side surfaces. An imaging range of the lens is defined by an imaging arc edge and at least one imaging straight edge, the sensor is arranged within the imaging range, and the sensor is rectangular, and a diameter of a head of the lens is smaller than a length of a short edge of the sensor.

In some embodiments, the opening has two opening straight edges that are perpendicular to each other, the side wall includes two planar walls that are perpendicular to each other, and the imaging range of the lens is defined by two imaging straight edges that are perpendicular to each other.

In some embodiments, the two opening straight edges have an equal length.

In some embodiments, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a screen and the lens module described in any aspect above. The screen includes a display region and a non-display region disposed outside the display region, and further includes a lens opening corresponding to the lens module, wherein the lens opening is at least partially located in the non-display region.

In some embodiments, the lens opening is located on one side of the screen.

In some embodiments, the lens opening is located at one corner of the screen.

In some embodiments, the lens opening is located in the non-display region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In order to enable the object, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the disclosure clearer, embodiments of the disclosure may be described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawings. However, one of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that in various embodiments of the disclosure, numerous technical details have been provided to better understand the application for the reader. It can be understood that even without these technical details and variations and modifications based on the following embodiments, the technical solutions herein may be realized.

Referring toFIGS.1to5, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a lens module100. The lens module100includes a lens10, a housing20for accommodating the lens10, a sensor40fixed to the housing20, and a circuit board30fixed to the housing20. The lens10includes a lens tube19and a plurality of lens elements13accommodated in the lens tube19. A respective lens element13includes an imaging section132for imaging and a mounting section131for assembling of the respective lens element13and arranged outside the imaging section132. The plurality of lens elements13includes two dimming lens elements14disposed close to an imaging plane Si. Each dimming lens element14includes at least one dimming section141parallel to an optical axis OO′, and a vertical distance between the dimming section141and the optical axis OO′ is smaller than a radius of the imaging section132. The lens tube19includes a sky surface11far away from the imaging plane Si and a side wall12bent and extended from the sky surface11. The side wall12includes a planar wall121parallel to the dimming section141. The dimming section141is arranged corresponding to the planar wall121. Compared with the existed technologies, a projection area of the lens module100along the optical axis OO′ direction is reduced by arranging the dimming section141and the planar wall121, that is, the bottom size of the lens module100is reduced, the lens module100can be arranged closer to a frame of an electronic device1. In other words, an entrance pupil can be at least partially arranged in a non-display region3of a screen, and an occupied area of an opening5of the lens in the display region4is reduced. That is, since the opening5of the lens needs to be arranged corresponding to the entrance pupil of the lens, i.e., the entrance pupil of the lens determines a position of the opening of the lens on the screen. Since the bottom size of the lens module is reduced on one side, the entrance pupil is closer to the frame, the opening5of the lens is also closer to the frame, which is beneficial to realizing the overall screen design of the electronic device. In other embodiments, the number of dimming lens elements can be increased or decreased as needed, and the lens10includes at least one dimming lens element. If the lens10only includes one dimming lens element, the dimming lens element is best disposed on a side closest to the imaging surface has the best effect.

In the embodiments of the disclosure, the lens module100may have different imaging heights and imaging ranges in different directions. A dimmed imaging height IH2on a side close to the dimming section141is smaller than a normal imaging height IH1on a side away from the dimming section141. An imaging range (or imaging region) IA1of the lens10is defined by an imaging arc edge IA12and an imaging straight edge IA11. The sensor40is completely arranged within the imaging range IA1of the lens10. The sensor40is rectangular, and a ratio of a long edge to a short edge of the sensor40may be 4:3 or 16:9, etc. The imaging straight edge IA11may be separated from the short edge of the sensor so that a certain assembly offset does not affect the imaging of the sensor. A shape of an image formed by the sensor is the same as that of the sensor. A diameter LOD1of the head of the lens10is smaller than a length of the short edge of the sensor.

In embodiments of the disclosure, the housing20has a top surface21parallel to the sky surface11and a side surface22bent and extended from the top surface21. The top surface21is rectangular and has an opening211. The opening211is defined by an opening arc edge212and an opening straight edge213. A diameter ENPD of the entrance pupil of the lens10is located inside the opening211. The opening straight edge213is parallel to the planar wall121. The side surface22includes two first side surfaces221parallel to the opening straight edge213and two second side surfaces222each connected between the two first side surfaces221.

The electronic device1includes a screen9, the lens module100, and a frame2. The screen9includes a display region4and a non-display region3arranged outside the display region4. The screen9further includes a lens opening5corresponding to the lens module100. The lens opening5is located at one side of the screen9, and the lens opening5is at least partially located in the non-display region3, to reduce a screen opening area in the display region4. In other alternative embodiments, the lens opening may be located entirely in the non-display region, thereby achieving a full screen of the electronic device.

In embodiments of the disclosure, the plurality of lens elements13further include four trimming lens elements15. The trimming lens elements15are arranged on an object side of the dimming lens elements14. The trimming lens elements15includes an assembly section151parallel to the optical axis OO′. A vertical distance from the assembly section151to the optical axis OO′ is smaller than a radius of the mounting section131and larger than the radius of the imaging section132. That is, in the plurality of lens elements13, two lens elements arranged near an imaging side are dimming lenses and remaining lens elements are trimming lens elements, so that the optical performance of the lens is reasonably retained while reducing the volume. The assembly section151is parallel to the dimming section141, or the assembly section151is coplanar with the dimming section141, and the two types of sections are on a same side and at a same angle of the lens, which can minimize the overall volume of the lens. In other embodiments, the number of dimming lens elements can be adjusted according to different lens sizes and different volume or optical performance requirements of the lens design, and there may be at least one dimming lens element. Similarly, the number of trimming lens elements can be adjusted, and even no trimming lens element can be provided. In order to meet special optical requirements, for example, to eliminate stray light, the dimming section and the assembly section can be non-coplanar or non-parallel, and are cross-arranged at an angle in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, and different structural designs are used to eliminate stray light.

In embodiments of the disclosure, there is only one planar wall121, and the planar wall121is extended to the sky surface11. That is, one planar wall121is directly connected with the sky surface. With this design, it is possible to reduce volume as much as possible, and reduce the production difficulty of many processes and improve the production yield. For example, the planar wall extending to the sky surface makes it easier to take and place. In other embodiments, the planar wall may include two walls which respectively correspond to the dimming section or the assembly section, or the planar wall may be stepped to correspond to the stepped edges of the lens element, according to the number of dimming lens elements and trimming lens elements. For example, when the first of the plurality of lenses from the object side is neither a dimming lens element nor a trimming lens element, an outer surface of the lens tube corresponding to the first of the plurality of lenses is a whole circle of cylindrical shape. When the second of the plurality of lenses from the object side is a trimming lens element or a dimming lens element, and an outer surface of the lens tube corresponding to the second of the plurality of lenses is a planar wall. In this case, the planar wall is separated from the sky surface by a section of cylindrical wall.

FIGS.6to8illustrate another embodiment of the present disclosure. The following merely describe differences from the above embodiments briefly. In the present embodiment of the disclosure, a cross-sectional view of a lens10′ of the lens module100′ along direction B-B and a cross-sectional view of the lens10′ along direction C-C are similar to those ofFIG.2, so that no repetitive drawing is made and can be understood in conjunction withFIG.2.

In embodiments of the disclosure, each dimming lens element14includes two dimming sections141that are perpendicular to each other, the trimming lens element15includes two assembly sections151, and the lens tube19′ includes two planar walls121. The two assembly sections151and the two dimming sections141are in one-to-one correspondence.

An opening211′ of the housing20′ has two opening straight edges213that are perpendicular to each other. The side wall12includes two planar walls121that are perpendicular to each other. An imaging range (i.e., imaging region) IA2of the lens is defined by two imaging straight edges IA21that are perpendicular to each other and an imaging arc edge IA22. The sensor41is completely arranged within the imaging range IA2of the lens10. The sensor41is rectangular, a ratio of a long edge to a short edge of the sensor can be 4:3 or 16:9, etc. The imaging straight edge IA21may be separated from the short edge of the sensor by a spacing so that a certain assembly offset does not affect the imaging of the sensor. A shape of an image formed by the sensor is the same as that of the sensor, and a diameter LOD2of a head of the lens10is smaller than a length of a short edge of the sensor41.

In embodiments of the disclosure, the two opening straight edges213have an equal length. Both planar walls extend to the sky surface. A vertical distance between one of the two dimming sections141and the optical axis OO′ is equal to a vertical distance between the other of the two dimming sections141and the optical axis OO′. A vertical distance between one of the assembling sections151and the optical axis OO′ is equal to a vertical distance between the other of the assembling sections151and the optical axis OO′. Therefore, the shape is regular and the optical performance is easy to evaluate. In other embodiments, the two opening straight edges may also have different lengths, A vertical distance between one of the two dimming sections141and the optical axis OO′ is not equal to a vertical distance between the other of the two dimming sections141and the optical axis OO′. A vertical distance between one of the assembling sections151and the optical axis OO′ is not equal to a vertical distance between the other of the assembling sections151and the optical axis OO′.

In the embodiments of the disclosure, the bottom size of the lens module100′ is reduced in both directions, the entrance pupil moves diagonally to the frame, the lens opening5′ of the electronic device1′ is located at one corner of the screen9′, and the deviation of the entrance pupil of the lens in the diagonal direction caused by the reduction of the bottom size of the lens module is fully utilized, and the lens opening5′ is all located in the non-display region3, which may avoid defining a screen opening in the display region4. In other optional embodiments, the lens opening can be partially located in the non-display region, and only one fan-shaped opening needs to be defined in the display region.

The foregoing embodiments are merely some embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Any modifications, equivalents, modifications, or the like made within the spirit and principles of the present disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.