Variable focus lens
AssigneeOptotune AG
InventorsManuel Aschwanden, David Niederer, Philipp Waibel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a variable focus lens comprising an elastically deformable optical element (7) and a circumferential mechanism (10, 1, 5, 2, 3, 8, 21) to transfer a rotational movement to an axial movement, wherein by using a ball bearing system (9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17) the mechanism is optimized in a manner to reduce mechanical friction, friction variation and to improve force-direction dependent positioning insensitivity.
Claims12
A variable focus lens comprising an elastically deformable optical element (7) and a circumferential mechanism (10, 1, 5, 2, 3, 8, 21) to transfer a rotational movement to an axial movement, wherein by using a ball bearing system (9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17) the mechanism is optimized in a manner to reduce mechanical friction, friction variation and to improve force-direction dependent positioning insensitivity, wherein the circumferential mechanism comprises an outer thread ring (10) with a helical thread (14), and wherein the lens comprises a container element (5) that is filled with a fluid (18), wherein the container element (5) comprises a container ring (5a), wherein the container ring (5a) comprises an outer thread (14a) that meshes with the helical thread (14) so that the container element (5) is moved axially in an axial direction (A) when the thread ring (10) is rotated about the axial direction (A), and wherein the container ring (5a) comprises a first ring (2) and a second ring (3) which both form said outer thread (14a) of the container ring (5a), wherein a spring element (8) is arranged between the first ring (2) and the second ring (3) and is configured to push said rings (2, 3) apart, so as to reduce an axial play of the helical thread (14).
A variable focus lens comprising an elastically deformable optical element (7) and a circumferential mechanism (10, 1, 5, 2, 3, 8, 21) to transfer a rotational movement to an axial movement, wherein by using a ball bearing system (9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17) the mechanism is optimized in a manner to reduce mechanical friction, friction variation and to improve force-direction dependent positioning insensitivity, wherein the lens comprises a container element that is filled with a fluid, wherein the container element (5) comprises a container ring (5a), wherein the container element (5) is guided by a plurality of posts (19a) extending through through-holes (5b) in the container ring (5a).
A variable focus lens comprising an elastically deformable optical element (7) and a circumferential mechanism (10, 1, 5, 2, 3, 8, 21) to transfer a rotational movement to an axial movement, wherein by using a ball bearing system (9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17) the mechanism is optimized in a manner to reduce mechanical friction, friction variation and to improve force-direction dependent positioning insensitivity, wherein the circumferential mechanism comprises an outer thread ring (10) with a helical thread (14), which thread ring (10) is supported on a fixed element (1) via a ball bearing (13) comprised by the ball bearing system so that the thread ring (10) is rotatable with respect to the fixed element (1) about an axial direction (A), and wherein the thread ring (10) is also supported on a housing part (12) that faces the fixed element (1) in the axial direction (A) via a further ball bearing (15) comprised by said ball bearing system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.