Adaptive lens
AssigneepoLight ASA
InventorsPierre Craen, Vladimir Kartashov, Nicolas Tallaron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a tunable lens where the optical power can be adjusted. The lens consists of a deformable, non-fluid lens body sandwiched between a thin, flexible membrane and transparent back window, and an actuator system serving to change the overall shape of the membrane and lens body. The membrane is pre-shaped to have a Sag or Sagittal of at least 10 μm so that the lens has a non-zero optical power when the actuator system is not activated. In order to achieve a large optical power range for the lens, the membrane should preferably be made of a material having a Young's modulus in the range 2-1.000 MPa.
Claims10
An optical lens assembly comprising:
- a transparent and flexible membrane, wherein said transparent and flexible membrane is formed in a material having a Young's modulus in the range between 2 MPa and 1,000 MPa;
- a transparent back window;
- a transparent, deformable, lens body sandwiched between said transparent back window and said transparent, flexible membrane to form a lens with an optical axis being normal to a surface part of said transparent back window, wherein said lens body comprises a polymer network of cross-linked or partly cross-linked polymers, and, wherein said lens body further comprises a miscible oil or combination of oils;
- said transparent and flexible membrane being pre-shaped to impress a first overall shape to said transparent and flexible membrane and said non-fluid lens body, wherein with said first overall shape said lens has a substantial, non-zero first optical power;
- a rigid frame configured to support a circumference of the membrane;
- and
- an actuator system configured to apply a force to change the overall shape of the membrane and said lens body from the first overall shape to a second overall shape with which the lens has a different optical property;
- wherein said actuator system comprises piezoelectric actuators on a surface of said transparent and flexible membrane,
- wherein said back window has a planar surface facing the lens body, wherein said lens has a Sag of at least 10 μm when said actuator system is not activated, and
- wherein said flexible membrane has a Sag between 10 and 500 μm and an aperture diameter between 1 and 60 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.