Abstract:
There is provided a stamp for molding lenses, including: a first stamp including a plurality of first lens molding parts; and a second stamp including a plurality of second lens molding parts corresponding to the plurality of first lens molding parts, wherein the first lens molding parts have different sizes so as to mold at least two types of lens.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0098958 filed on Sep. 29, 2011, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a stamp for molding lenses, and more particularly, to a stamp for molding lenses able to simultaneously mold different types of lens. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As demand for high-resolution camera modules has increased, demand for a high-resolution lens module in which a plurality of lenses are stacked has correspondingly increased. 
         [0006]    A high-resolution lens module may be manufactured by vertically stacking and bonding a plurality of lenses. 
         [0007]    For example, a high-resolution lens module configured of four lenses is completed by manufacturing stamps for molding lenses corresponding to respective lenses among the four lenses, manufacturing respective lenses (that is, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens) using the stamps for molding lenses, and stacking the manufactured lenses in order. 
         [0008]    However, in the above-detailed manufacturing method, the plurality of stamps for manufacturing respective lenses configuring the lens module are required to be manufactured, such a process may disadvantageously consume an excessive amount of costs and time in manufacturing a kind of lens module. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An aspect of the present invention provides a stamp for molding lenses able to simultaneously mold at least two types of lens so as to easily manufacture a high-resolution lens module. 
         [0010]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stamp for molding lenses, including: a first stamp including a plurality of first lens molding parts; and a second stamp including a plurality of second lens molding parts corresponding to the plurality of first lens molding parts, wherein the first lens molding parts have different sizes so as to mold at least two types of lens. 
         [0011]    The first lens molding part may be planar, spherical or aspherical. 
         [0012]    The second lens molding part may be planar, spherical or aspherical. 
         [0013]    The first lens molding part may include a primary first lens molding part molding a first lens module and a secondary first lens molding part molding a second lens module other than the first lens module, and the first stamp may include a first area in which the primary first lens molding part is formed and a second area in which the secondary first lens molding part is formed. 
         [0014]    The first area and the second area may be symmetrically formed with regard to each other, based on a bisector of the first stamp. 
         [0015]    The second area may be formed in an edge area of the first stamp. 
         [0016]    The first area and the second area may be alternately formed in the first stamp. 
         [0017]    The first lens molding parts may have gradually reduced sizes from a center of the first stamp toward an edge thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0019]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are plan views of a stamp for molding lenses according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lens molding state using a first stamp and a second stamp shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a stamp for molding lenses according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a stamp for molding lenses according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a stamp for molding lenses according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0025]    The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are plan views of a stamp for molding lenses according to a first embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lens molding state using a first stamp and a second stamp shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ,  FIG. 4  is a plan view of a stamp for molding lenses according to a second embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 5  is a plan view of a stamp for molding lenses according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a plan view of a stamp for molding lenses according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0027]    First, a stamp for molding lenses according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . For reference,  FIG. 1  is a plan view of a first stamp and  FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a second stamp. 
         [0028]    A stamp  1000  for molding lenses according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a first stamp  100  and a second stamp  200 . 
         [0029]    The first stamp  100  may be disposed in a lower position during lens molding and may be a fixed mold that does not move. On the contrary, the second stamp  200  may be disposed in an upper position during lens molding and may be a movable mold that may be moved toward the first stamp  100  for compression. However, stamp positions and a stamping operation as described above may be changed according to types and characteristics of lenses to be manufactured and a working environment. 
         [0030]    The first stamp  100  may be formed of plastic. In more detail, the first stamp  100  may be formed of a transparent resin material so as to allow light (for example, ultraviolet rays) that can harden a lens material to be transmitted therethrough. However, the first stamp  100  is not limited thereto and may be formed of glass or other materials. 
         [0031]    The first stamp  100  may include a first lens molding part  110  and a first flat part  120 . 
         [0032]    The first lens molding part  110  may mold a first surface of a lens and may mold a lens surface to have a convex shape, a concave shape, a spherical shape or an aspherical shape. In addition, the first lens molding part  110  may include a primary first lens molding part  112  and a secondary first lens molding part  114 . In this configuration, the primary first lens molding part  112  and the secondary first lens molding part  114  may individually mold one surfaces of lenses having different optical characteristics. For example, the primary first lens molding part  112  and the secondary first lens molding part  114  may mold different types of lens surfaces having different refractive indexes, Abbe values, focal distances, or refractive powers. 
         [0033]    Meanwhile, the first stamp  100  may be differentiated into first and second areas  130  and  132  in which the primary first lens molding part  112  and the secondary first lens molding part  114  are formed, based on a segment L-L. Here, the first area  130  may be provided with the primary first lens molding part  112  and the second area  132  may be provided with the secondary first lens molding part  114 . 
         [0034]    For reference,  FIG. 1  shows that the number of lens molding parts  112  and  114  formed in the first area  130  and the second area  132  is different, but may be the same or arbitrarily changed, if necessary. 
         [0035]    The first flat part  120  may indicate the remaining parts of the first stamp  100 , other than the first lens molding part  110 . The first flat part  120  may mold a flange part for the lens module having the lens surface. 
         [0036]    The second stamp  200  may include a second lens molding part  210  and a second flat part  220 . 
         [0037]    The second lens molding part  210  may mold a second surface of a lens and may mold a lens surface to have a convex shape, a concave shape, a spherical shape or an aspherical shape. In addition, the second lens molding part  210  may include a primary second lens molding part  212  and a secondary second lens molding part  214 . In this configuration, the primary second lens molding part  212  and the secondary second lens molding part  114  may individually mold one surfaces of lenses having different optical characteristics. For example, the primary second lens molding part  212  and the secondary second lens molding part  214  may mold different types of lens surfaces having different refractive indexes, Abbe values, focal distances, or refractive powers. However, when the first lens molding part  110  ( 112  and  114 ) mold lens surfaces having different optical characteristics, the second lens molding part  210  ( 212  and  214 ) may mold lens surfaces having the same optical characteristics. For example, the second lens molding part  210  may mold the lens surface having the same refractive index, Abbe value, or focal distance and may also have a planar shape. 
         [0038]    The second flat part  220  may indicate the remaining parts of the second stamp  200 , other than the second lens molding part  210 . The second flat part  220  may mold a flange part for the lens module having the lens surface. 
         [0039]    Meanwhile, the second stamp  200  may be differentiated into third and fourth areas  230  and  232  in which the primary second lens molding part  212  and the secondary second lens molding part  214  are formed, based on a segment M-M. Here, the third area  230  may be provided with the primary second lens molding part  212  and the fourth area  232  may be provided with the secondary second molding part  214 . 
         [0040]    For reference, in  FIG. 2 , the number of lens molding parts  212  and  214  formed in the third area  230  and the fourth area  232  of the second stamp  200  may be equal to the number of lens molding parts  112  and  114  formed in the first area  130  and the second area  132  of the first stamp  100 . 
         [0041]    As such, the first stamp  100  and the second stamp  200  are vertically disposed having a lens material  300  interposed therebetween as shown in  FIG. 3 , and a lens module or a lens array may be molded by compressing the lens material  300 . 
         [0042]    The lens molding stamp  1000  configured as described above may mold different types of lens in a one-time compression process. Therefore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the number of stamps required to mold various types of lens may be reduced and lens manufacturing costs may be reduced accordingly. 
         [0043]    Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. For reference, only the first stamp  100  will be described and shown below, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the second stamp  200  may be changed to have the same or a similar shape to that of the first stamp  100 . 
         [0044]    The second embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0045]    The first stamp  100  according to the second embodiment of the present invention may have the first area  130  and the second area  132  alternately formed thereon. That is, the first area  130  and the second area  132  may be alternately formed in an X-axis direction of the first stamp  100 . 
         [0046]    Here, the first area  130  may be provided with the primary first lens molding part  112  molding a lens having a relatively large size and the second area  132  may be provided with the secondary first lens molding part  114  molding a lens having a relatively small size. 
         [0047]    As described above, when the primary first lens molding part  112  and the secondary first lens molding part  114  mold lenses having different sizes, the first area  130  and the second area  132  may partially overlap each other. In this case, the first stamp  100  may be formed to have a relatively large number of lens molding parts. 
         [0048]    The third embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
         [0049]    The first stamp  100  according to the third embodiment of the present invention may be rectangular and have at least three types of first lens molding part  110  ( 112 ,  114 ,  116 , and  118 ). 
         [0050]    That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first lens molding part  110  may include a primary first lens molding part  112 , a secondary first lens molding part  114 , a tertiary first lens molding part  116 , and a quaternary first lens molding part  118 . Here, the primary first lens molding part  112  may mold the lens having the largest size and the quaternary first lens molding part  118  may mold the lens having the smallest size. 
         [0051]    A first area  130  having the primary first lens molding part  112  formed therein to a fourth area  136  having the quaternary first lens molding part  118  formed therein may be formed in order in a longitudinal direction (an X-axis direction based on  FIG. 5 ) of the first stamp  110  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0052]    In the embodiment of the present invention, the first lens molding parts  112 ,  114 ,  116 , and  118  molding different lenses are sequentially formed in one direction of the first stamp  100  and therefore, each lens molding part can be easily differentiated. 
         [0053]    A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
         [0054]    The first stamp  100  according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention may be differentiated from the third embodiment of the present invention in terms of the arrangement of the first lens molding parts. That is, in the first stamp  100  according to this embodiment of the present invention, the first lens molding parts  110  ( 112 ,  114 , and  116 ) may be arranged outwardly (direction of an arrow A) from a center O of the first stamp  100 . 
         [0055]    The plurality of lens molding parts may be effectively arranged in the present embodiment, and thus, they can easily mold at least three types of lens. 
         [0056]    As set forth above, according to embodiments of the present invention, a stamp for molding lenses can simultaneously mold at least two types of lens, thereby rapidly manufacturing high-resolution lens modules for different types of lens. 
         [0057]    Further, the stamp according to the embodiments of the present invention can mold at least two types of lens at a time, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and time required to manufacture the high-resolution lens modules. 
         [0058]    While the present invention has been shown and described in connection with the embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.