Patent ID: 12197030

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First of all, it should be noted that the phrase “aligning structure” appears in the disclosure refers to a structure composed of a protruding portion and a recessed space (or “accommodating space” or “recessed portion”). The aligning structure is used for positioning and combining two components with each other, thereby avoiding positional deviation after combination. It should be noted that, the protruding portion and the recessed space may or may not have corresponding shapes. The aligning structure may also refer to an inter-lock structure. The protruding portion is an exemplary outwardly extending portion of any element and may be formed integrally or non-integrally. In addition, the phrase “Y direction” in the disclosure refers to the direction parallel to the height or the depth of the element in relevant cross-sectional views. In contrast, the phrase “X direction” in the disclosure refers to the direction perpendicular to the height or the depth of the element in relevant cross-sectional views.

Next, as shown inFIG.1andFIG.2,FIG.1is a top view of an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with a comparative example; andFIG.2is a partial enlarged view of an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with a comparative example.

As shown inFIG.1,FIG.2, andFIG.6, a comparative example shows that the lens set1is composed of a plurality of lenses100,200, and300. The lens100and the lens200overlaps at the peripheral portion, thereby attaching to each other; and the lens200and the lens300also overlaps at the peripheral portion, thereby attaching to each other. Particularly, the lens100, the lens200, and the lens300attach to each other through the protruding portion L1-1, the protruding portion L1-2, the protruding portion L1-3, the protruding portion L3-1, the protruding portion L3-2, and the protruding portion L3-3, thereby achieving the positioning effect.

As shown inFIG.1, the lens100and the lens200are adjacent to each other in Y direction and attach to each other through the protruding portions L1-1, L1-2, and L1-3, thereby achieving desired positioning performance. The protruding portion L1-1, L1-2, and L1-3respectively engage with the corresponding accommodating spaces and form an aligning structure, so that the adjacent lenses100and200can be combined with a desired positioning precision. Additionally, as shown inFIG.2that is a right side view of the lens set1, the lens200and the lens300are vertically adjacent to each other and attach to each other through the protruding portions L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3so that the desired positioning performance is achieved. Furthermore, in one exemplary embodiment, the lens200and the lens300attach to each other through an adhesive having optical properties such as the optical glue10. Similarly, the protruding portion L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3respectively engage with the corresponding accommodating spaces and form an aligning structure, so that the adjacent lenses200and300can be combined with a desired positioning precision.

In other words, as shown inFIG.1that is a top view of the lens set1for the comparative example, there are six corresponding aligning structures including the protruding portion L1-1, the protruding portion L1-2, the protruding portion L1-3, the protruding portion L3-1, the protruding portion L3-2, and the protruding portion L3-3that may be disposed between different lenses, respectively.

In addition, as shown inFIG.2of the comparative example depicting a partial enlarged view of the protruding portion L3-1of the lens set1, the accommodating space200aof the lens200accommodates the protruding portion L3-1of the lens300. As a result, the lens300and the lens200are positioned and attach to each other through an optical glue10. In the comparative example, the protruding portion L3-1is a semicircle, and the accommodating space200ais a three-dimensional space with a shape in trapezoidal.

However, the inventors found that the lens assembly1of the comparative example suffers from the lower positioning performance during assembly as being greatly affected by the angle between a horizontal tangent at the bottom of the accommodating space200aand the lateral extension line (approximately equal to the angle θ2). Furthermore, the positioning performance during assembly of the lens set1is also greatly affected by the radius R of the semicircular protruding portion L3-1.

In view of this, the following embodiments of the present invention disclose a lens assembly with an aligning structure that can solve the aforementioned drawbacks and problems as follows:

Referring toFIG.3toFIG.6,FIG.3is a top view of an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with an embodiment;FIG.4is a partial enlarged view of an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. is a partial enlarged view of an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; andFIG.6is a schematic cross-sectional view of an illustrative lens assembly having an aligning structure that is fully assembled in accordance with an embodiment.

As shown inFIG.3toFIG.6, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a lens assembly with an aligning structure, and the aligning structure is composed of a plurality of lenses100,200, and300. There exists a difference between the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS.3to6and the comparative example ofFIGS.1to2. The difference shows that, between the adjacent lenses100,200, and300inFIG.3toFIG.6, when one has a plurality of non-circular accommodating spaces at its peripheral area, another may have a plurality of protruding portions at its peripheral area of a corresponding surface. In this embodiment, the protruding portions are called polygonal pillar L1-1and polygonal pillar L1-2, polygonal pillar L1-3, polygonal pillar L3-1, polygonal pillar L3-2, and polygonal pillar L3-3. In addition, each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3engages with and is accommodated in each of the non-circular accommodating spaces. Moreover, the lenses100,200, and300are not parallel to each other after being assembled and forming the lens set with the aligning structure. As shown inFIG.3, reference symbol D1represents a distance from the polygonal pillars L1-1to a connection line between the polygonal pillars L1-2and L1-3. In one embodiment, D1is 35.2 mm. In addition, as shown in the embodiment ofFIG.4, each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3is, for example, a trapezoidal pillar, and each of the non-circular accommodating spaces is, for example, an accommodating space having a shape in trapezoidal.

As shown in embodiments ofFIG.4andFIG.6, a size of a top surface for each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3determines a height between the adjacent lenses100,200and300after the lenses100,200, and300are assembled. As shown inFIG.4, in this exemplary embodiment, the lenses200and300are adjacent to each other vertically and attach to each other with a high precision in positioning through the aligning structure. Additionally, the lenses200and300may be further bonded through an adhesive with optical properties such as the optical glue10. The width W1for one of the top surfaces of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3is 0.55 mm, and the height H2is less than 0.89 mm. The depth H1of the accommodating space a shape in trapezoidal is 0.89 mm. In other words, there exists a distance T1between the depth H1of each accommodating space with a shape in trapezoid and the height H2of each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3. In addition, in this exemplary embodiment, the lenses are, for example, the first lens100, the second lens200, and the third lens300. The first lens100has the non-circular accommodating spaces in a peripheral region of a first surface. The second lens200has the polygonal pillars in a peripheral region of a second surface and has the non-circular accommodating spaces in a peripheral region of an opposite third surface. Specifically, the second surface of the second lens200is opposite the first surface of the first lens100. In addition, the third lens300has the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3with bottom surfaces that are polygonal shape in a peripheral region of a fourth surface, and the fourth surface of the third lens300is opposite to the third surface of the second lens200. As shown inFIG.6, in one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of lenses100,200, and300are not parallel to each other after being assembled. The included angle θ4between the normal line N1of the lens100and the extension line EL in Y direction and the included angle θ5between the normal line N2of the lens300and the extension line EL in Y direction can be calculated from a correlation formula and are approximately 0.1263 degrees. In other words, in one exemplary embodiment, each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3engages with each of the non-circular accommodating spaces and is accommodated in each of the non-circular accommodating spaces. Each of the normal lines N1and N2of the plurality of lenses respectively has an included angle with a reference axis (i.e., the extension line EL in Y direction), and each of the included angles θ4and θ5is a function (or correlation formula) of the size of the inclined surface of each of the triangular pillars, thus, the included angles θ4and θ5can be obtained from the function (or correlation formula). Moreover, the included angles θ4and θ5is also a function (or correlation formula) of the aforementioned distance D1, the top surface width W1of each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3, an angle that the top surfaces of polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and L3-3deviate from the X direction (hereinafter, referred to as “the deviation angle of the top surface of the pillar”), and an angle that the bottom surface the non-circular accommodating spaces deviates from the X direction (hereinafter, referred to as “the deviation angle of the bottom surface of the accommodation space”). For example, in the exemplary embodiments ofFIGS.3,4, and6, for the tolerance of the lens manufacturing process, the tolerance to the deviation angle of the top surface of the pillar or the deviation angle of the bottom surface of the accommodating space is approximately +/−3 degrees; and the tolerance to the dimension in the Y direction is approximately +/−0.01 mm. As shown inFIGS.3,4, and6, when D1is 35.2 mm, W1is 0.55 mm, and H1is 0.89 mm, the included angles θ4and θ5can be calculated as 0.1263 degrees through the aforementioned correlation formula based on trigonometric functions.

In addition, as shown inFIG.5, there exists no distance between the depth H1for each accommodating space with a shape in trapezoidal and the heights H2′ for each of the polygonal pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3, that is, the distance T1equals zero.

Continuing to refer toFIG.7toFIG.9,FIG.7is a schematic diagram showing an improvement in design error for an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with another embodiment;FIG.8is a schematic diagram showing an improvement in design error for an illustrative lens set with an aligning structure in accordance with another embodiment; andFIG.9is a schematic cross-sectional view of an illustrative lens assembly having an aligning structure that is fully assembled in accordance with another embodiment.

As shown inFIG.7toFIG.9, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a lens assembly with an aligning structure, and the aligning structure is composed of a plurality of lenses100,200, and300. As shown in embodiments ofFIG.7andFIG.8, the lenses200and300are adjacent to each other vertically and attach to each other with a high precision in positioning through the aligning structure. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the lens200and the lens300attach to each other through an adhesive having optical properties such as the optical glue10. There exists a difference between the embodiment ofFIGS.7to9and the embodiment ofFIGS.3to6. The difference shows that, between the adjacent lenses100,200, and300inFIG.7toFIG.9, when one has a plurality of square accommodating spaces at its peripheral area, another may have a plurality of protruding portions at its peripheral area of a corresponding surface. In this embodiment, the protruding portions are triangular pillars having bottom surfaces with a shape of trapezoid or right triangle. It should be noted that triangular pillars having bottom surfaces with a shape of trapezoid as shown inFIG.7toFIG.8are examples for illustration purposes only, another embodiment may utilize the triangular pillars having bottom surfaces with a shape of right triangle, e.g., the so-called triangular pillar L1-1and triangular pillar L1-2, triangular pillar L1-3, triangular pillar L3-1, triangular pillar L3-2, and triangular pillar L3-3. In addition, each of the triangular pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3is accommodated in each of the square accommodating spaces, resulting in that any inclined surface of the triangular pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3faces each of the square accommodating spaces.

Continuing to refer to the embodiment ofFIG.7toFIG.9,FIG.7shows that when the lenses100,200,300are assembled, an inner face of each of the square accommodating spaces faces the inclined surface of each of the triangular pillars, and another opposite inner face of each of the square accommodating spaces engages with a lateral surface of each of the triangular pillars closely. As a result, the desired positioning performance is achieved. As shown inFIG.7andFIG.8, only the lens200and a square accommodating space in the peripheral area of a surface when it faces the lens300are shown, and the square accommodating space is used for accommodating the triangular pillar L1-1, the triangular pillar L1-2, triangular pillar L1-3, triangular pillar L3-1, triangular pillar L3-2, or triangular pillar L3-3. It should be noted that, as shown inFIG.9, in one embodiment, the plurality of lenses100,200, and300are not parallel to each other after being assembled. The included angle θ7between the normal line N1of the lens100and the extension line EL in Y direction and the included angle θ8between the normal line N2of the lens300and the extension line EL in Y direction can be calculated from a correlation formula and are approximately 0.0962 degrees. As shown inFIG.7toFIG.9, in one embodiment, each of the triangular pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3engages with each of the square accommodating spaces and is accommodated in each of the square accommodating spaces. Each of the normal lines N1and N2of the plurality of lenses respectively has an included angle with a reference axis (i.e., the extension line EL in Y direction), and each of the included angles θ7and θ8is a function (or correlation formula) of the size of the inclined surface of each of the triangular pillars, thus, the included angles θ7and θ8can be obtained from the function (or correlation formula). Moreover, the included angles θ7and θ8is also a function (or correlation formula) of the aforementioned distance D1, the top surface length W3of each of the triangular pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2outside each of the square accommodating spaces, and L3-3, a height H3of the triangular pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, and a base angle θ6of each of the right triangles (or trapezoids). For example, in the embodiments ofFIGS.7to9, for the tolerance of the lens manufacturing process, the tolerance to a deviation angle of the base angle θ6for the right triangles (or trapezoids) is approximately +/−3 degrees; and the tolerance to the dimension in the Y direction is approximately +/−0.01 mm. As shown inFIGS.7to9, when D1is 35.2 mm, W3is 0.5 mm, θ6is 19 degrees and H3is 0.8 mm, the included angles θ7and θ8can be calculated as 0.0962 degrees through the aforementioned correlation formula based on trigonometric functions.

As described above, with regard to the embodiments ofFIG.7toFIG.9,FIG.8shows that a size of the inclined surface of each of the triangular pillars L1-1, L1-2, L1-3, L3-1, L3-2, L3-3determines a height between the adjacent lenses after being assembled.

In the embodiments ofFIGS.7to9, the lenses100,200, and300are not parallel to each other after being assembled.

In the embodiments ofFIGS.7to9, each of the normal lines N1and N2of the plurality of lenses respectively has an included angle θ7and08with a reference axis (i.e., the extension line EL in Y direction), and each of the included angles θ7and08is a function (or correlation formula) of the size of the inclined surface of each of the triangular pillars.

In the embodiments ofFIGS.7to9, the lenses are, for example, a first lens100, a second lens200, and a third lens300. One or more square accommodating spaces are configured in a peripheral region of a first surface of the first lens100. For the second lens200, one or more of the triangular pillars with bottom surfaces that are right-angled triangles are configured in a peripheral region of a second surface, and one or more of the square accommodating spaces are configured in a peripheral region of an opposite third surface. In addition, the second surface of the second lens200is opposite the first surface of the first lens100. Furthermore, for the third lens300, one or more of the triangular pillars with bottom surfaces that are right-angled triangles are configured in a peripheral region of a fourth surface, and the fourth surface of the third lens300is opposite to the third surface of the second lens200.

Continuing to refer toFIG.10andFIG.11,FIG.10is a schematic cross-sectional view of an illustrative cursor layer in an aligning structure of a lens set in accordance with an embodiment;FIG.11is a schematic cross-sectional view of an illustrative cursor layer in an aligning structure of a lens set in accordance with another embodiment; andFIG.12is a schematic top view of the cursor layer ofFIG.10orFIG.11. It should be noted thatFIG.11also omits the optical glue10between the second lens200and the third lens300, but as mentioned above, the second lens200and the third lens300are also bonded through the optical glue10.

As shown inFIG.10andFIG.11, a cursor layer1000is disposed on a surface of the groove200aof the second lens200that is opposite to any of the aforementioned protruding portions of the third lens300. The cursor layer1000is configured for positioning of any two planes (e.g., the second lens200and the third lens300) and fabricated by photolithography. As shown inFIG.12, when the cursor layer1000is in use, a laser passes through the central transparent area1000aof the cursor layer1000. If the two planes are parallel to each other, the light will return along the original path.

While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.