Patent ID: 8411193

Claim:
A lens module, comprising: a liquid crystal lens, the liquid crystal lens comprising a light incident surface, a light output surface facing away from the light incident surface, and a plurality of side wall surfaces interconnecting the light incident surface and the light output surface, the liquid crystal lens comprising at least two electrode layers, each of the electrode layers comprising a connection terminal exposed at the corresponding side wall surface; a lens barrel comprising a base and a lens receiving member connected to the base, the base being substantially cubiform, the lens receiving member being substantially cylindrical, the base and the lens receiving member being integrally connected to each other, thereby forming a monolithic body, the base and the lens receiving member having a common central axis, the base having a first end abaxial to the lens receiving member, the base defining a first receiving hole in the first end, the first receiving hole being configured for receiving an image sensor, the base having two contact blocks protruding from each of two opposite outer side wall surfaces thereof, each of the contact blocks having a contact surface coplanar with the first end, the contact surface being configured for contacting a printed circuit board, the lens receiving member having a second end abaxial to the first end, the lens receiving member defining a stepped hole, the stepped through hole including a second receiving hole portion through the second end, and an interconnection hole portion interconnecting the second receiving hole portion and the first receiving hole, a support surface being formed between the second receiving hole portion and the interconnection hole, the liquid crystal lens received in the second receiving hole portion, and the light output surface of the liquid crystal lens contacting the support surface; and two electrically conductive traces embedded in an outer surface of the lens barrel, the electrically conductive traces each comprising a first end exposed in the second receiving hole portion and electrically connected to the corresponding connection terminal, and a second end exposed at the contact surface of the corresponding contact block for electrical connection to an external circuit.