Patent Publication Number: US-2022221677-A1

Title: Optical lens and optical data capturing device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an optical lens and an optical data capturing device, and particularly relates to an optical lens which can be attached to a barrel or an optical sensor without connection devices and adhesive material, and an optical data capturing device using the optical lens. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In prior art, connection components such as screws or adhesive material are needed while attaching an optical lens to a barrel or an optical sensor. Such method increases the difficulty and cost while assembling an optical data capturing device comprising the optical lens. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One objective of the present invention is to provide an optical lens, which can be assembled with other components without connection components and adhesive material. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide an optical data capturing device comprising an optical lens, which can be assembled with other components without connection components and adhesive material. 
     One embodiment of the present invention discloses an optical lens comprising: a first part, comprising a first surface; a second part, comprising a second surface and at least one concave portion, wherein at least portion of the first surface and at least portion of the second surface are cylindrical. The second part further comprises a third surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are not parallel with the third surface. The first part protrudes from the third surface. 
     One embodiment of the present invention discloses an optical data capturing device comprising an optical lens, a base and an aperture component. The optical lens comprises: a first part, comprising a first surface; a second part, comprising a second surface and at least one concave portion, wherein at least portion of the first surface and at least portion of the second surface are cylindrical. The second part further comprises a third surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are not parallel with the third surface. The first part protrudes from the third surface. The base comprises at least one protruding portion configured to assemble with the concave portion. The aperture component is provided in the base and is configured to cover the optical lens. 
     In view of above-mentioned embodiments, the optical lens can be attached to a barrel (an aperture component) or an optical sensor without connection components or adhesive material. Therefore, the process of manufacturing the optical data capturing device can be simplified and related cost can be reduced. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical lens according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the optical lens, which is shown in  FIG. 1 , viewed in another direction according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical data capturing device, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 3 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 3 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical data capturing device, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 6 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 6 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an optical mouse using the optical data capturing device provided by the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Several embodiments are provided in following descriptions to explain the concept of the present invention. Besides, the term “first”, “second”, “third” in following descriptions are only for the purpose of distinguishing different components, and do not mean the sequence of the elements. For example, a first device and a second device only mean these devices can have the same structure but are different devices. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical lens  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the optical lens, which is shown in  FIG. 1 , viewed in another direction according to another embodiment of the present invention. Please also refer to  FIG. 2  while referring to  FIG. 1 , to understand the present invention for more clarity. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the optical lens  100  comprises a first part P 1  and a second part P 2 . In one embodiment, the first part P 1  and the second part P 2  are formed in one piece. The first part P 1  protrudes from the second part P 2  and comprises a first surface S 1 . The first part P 1  also comprises a fourth surface S 4 , which is configured to receive light when the optical lens  100  is assembled with an aperture component. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the fourth surface S 4  is opposite to the concave portion CP of the second part P 2  and perpendicular with the first surface S 1 . However, any degrees of angle which is not 180° can exist between the first surface S 1  and the fourth surface S 4 . 
     The second part P 2  comprises a second surface S 2  and at least one concave portion CP. Also, at least portion of the first surface S 1  and at least portion of the second surface S 2  are cylindrical. Additionally, the second part P 2  further comprises a third surface S 3 , wherein the first surface S 1  and the second surface S 2  are not parallel with the third surface S 3 . That is, any degrees of angle which is not 180° can exist between the first surface S 1  and the third surface S 3 , and any degrees of angle which is not 180° can exist between the second surface S 2  and the third surface S 3 , depending on design requirements. In one embodiment, the first surface S 1  and the second surface S 2  are perpendicular with the third surface S 3 . Besides, please refer to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, the optical lens  100  can comprise a concave portion  201 , which can be assembled with another component. 
     In one embodiment, the first surface S 1  is configured to assemble with an aperture component, which may comprise a barrel. Also, in one embodiment, the first surface S 1  is configured to assemble with an optical sensor or an electronic device. Furthermore, in the embodiments of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a dimension of the second part P 2  is larger than the first part P 1 . However, a dimension of the second part P 2  can be smaller than the first part P 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical data capturing device  300 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. The optical data capturing device  300  comprise the optical lens  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . However, please note, for the convenience of explaining, some numerals of the optical lens  100  are not shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , besides the optical lens  100 , the optical data capturing device  300  further comprises an aperture component  301  and a base  303 . The aperture component  301 , which comprises a barrel  301 _ 1  and an aperture  301 _ 2 , is provided in the base  303  and configured to cover the optical lens  100 . Besides, the base  303  comprises at least one protruding portion  303 _ 1  configured to assemble with the concave portion CP. The base  303  can be a portion of an optical sensor or an electronic device. In one embodiment, the aperture component  301  can be assembled with the optical lens via the concave portion  201  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but not limited. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first surface S 1  of the first part P 1  is configured to assemble with the aperture component  301 , more specifically, to assemble with the barrel  301 _ 1 . Also, the second surface S 2  is configured to assemble with the base  303 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the aperture component  301  touches the first surface S 1  and the third surface S 3 , but does not touch the second surface. The fourth surface S 4  can receive light from the aperture  301 _ 2 . 
     As above-mentioned, at least portion of the first surface S 1  and at least portion of the second surface S 2  are cylindrical. By such structure, while assembling the optical lens  100  with the aperture component  301  and the base  303 , the optical lens  100  can be firstly inserted into the based  303  and then slightly rotate the optical lens  100  if the optical lens  100  is not secured with the base  303 . After that, the aperture component  301  can be provided on the optical lens  100 , and then slightly rotate the aperture component  301  if the optical lens  100  is not secured with aperture component  301 . By this way, the optical lens  100  can be secured with the aperture component  301  and the base  303  without connection components and adhesive material. Further, the tolerance of the dimension of the optical lens  100  can be increased since it can be secured with the aperture component  301  and the base  303  via the first surface S 1  and the second surface S 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the optical data capturing device  300  illustrated in  FIG. 3 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. In such embodiment, the aperture component  301  is not shown.  FIG. 4  clearly illustrates that the optical lens  100  is inside the base  303  and is assembled with the base  303  via the second surface S 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 3 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. In such embodiment, the aperture component  301  is illustrated.  FIG. 5  clearly illustrates that the aperture component  301  is provided in the body  303  and covers the optical lens  100 . Light can pass through the aperture  301 _ 2  and is received by the fourth surface S 4  of the optical sensor  101 . 
     In one embodiment, adhesive material can further be used for strengthening the assembling of the optical lens  100  with the aperture component  301  and/or the base  303 .  FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical data capturing device  600 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, besides the components illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the optical data capturing device  600  further comprises at least one slot  601 _ 1 ,  601 _ 2  located between the base  303  and the aperture component  301 , and located between the base  303  and the second part P 2 . The slots  601 _ 1 ,  601 _ 2  comprise adhesive material provided therein, to strengthen the assembling of the optical lens  100  with the aperture component  301  and/or the base  303 . 
     Please note, the number of the slots is not limited to be 2.  FIG. 7  is a top view of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 6 , according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is similar with  FIG. 6 , but further comprises slots  601 _ 1 ,  601 _ 2 ,  601 _ 3  and  601 _ 4 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the number of the slots is 4 rather than 2.  FIG. 8  is a top view of the optical data capturing device illustrated in  FIG. 6 , according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 8  is similar with  FIG. 6 , but further comprises slots  601 _ 1 ,  601 _ 2 . Since some structures in  FIG. 6 - FIG. 8  are the same as which in  FIG. 3 - FIG. 5 , related descriptions are omitted for brevity here. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an optical mouse  900  using the optical data capturing device provided by the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the optical mouse  900  comprises a light source  901  and an optical sensor  903 . The light source  901  is configured to emit light and the optical sensor  903  is configured to sense optical data (e.g., image) generated according to reflected light of the light emitted by the light source  901 . The reflected light can pass thorough the aperture  301 _ 2  of the optical data capturing device  300 , to reach the optical sensor  903 . Therefore, the base  303  of the optical data capturing device  300  in  FIG. 3  can be portion of the optical sensor  903  or portion of the optical mouse  900 . Besides the optical data capturing device  300 , the optical data capturing device  600  illustrated in  FIG. 6  can be applied to the optical mouse  900  as well. 
     It will be appreciated that the optical data capturing device provided by the present invention is not limited to be applied to an optical mouse or an optical navigation device. The optical data capturing device provided by the present invention can be provided to any electronic device which can sense optical data, such as a mobile phone with a camera. 
     In view of above-mentioned embodiments, the optical lens can be attached to a barrel (an aperture component) or an optical sensor without connection components or adhesive material. Therefore, the process of manufacturing the optical data capturing device can be simplified and related cost can be reduced. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.