Lens array and close contact type image sensor using the same
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakahiro Kaihotsu, Masami Tabata, Nobuyoshi Tanaka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This specification discloses a lens array having a lens element body having a plurality of lens elements arranged, and an overlap limiting member provided between the lens elements of the lens element body for limiting the overlap of images by the plurality of lens elements. The specification also discusses a close contact type image sensor which uses the lens array as an optical element array for directing reflected light from an original and which has a transparent member for supporting the original, a light source for illuminating the original, and a sensor array for photoelectrically converting the image of the original.
Claims9
A lens array comprising:
- a lens element body comprising a plurality of cylindrical lens elements, each lens element having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a refractive index distribution in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis thereof, the lens elements being arranged contiguously, whereby images of the individual lens elements are overlapped to form a combined image surface;
- and
- overlap masking means arranged near the outlet ends of the lens elements for improving combined depth of field of an image formed by said lens array by masking the overlap of images formed by said plurality of lens elements so as to limit an overlap amount of image close to but more than zero.
A close contact type image sensor comprising a transparent member for supporting an original, a light source for illuminating said original, an optical element array for directing reflected light from said originals, and a sensor array for photoelectrically converting the directed image of the original, characterized in that said optical element array is a lens array comprising a lens element body comprising a plurality of cylindrical lens elements, each lens element having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a refractive index distribution in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis thereof, the lens elements being arranged contiguously, whereby images of the individual lens elements are overlapped to form a combined image surface, and an overlap masking member arranged near the outlet ends of said lens elements of said lens element body for improving combined depth of field of an image formed by said lens elements by masking the overlap of images formed by said plurality of lens elements so as to limit an overlap amount of image close to but more than zero.
A lens array comprising:
- a lens element body comprising a plurality of cylindrical focus lens elements, each lens element having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a refractive index distribution in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis thereof, the lens elements being arranged contiguously, whereby images of the individual lens elements are overlapped to form a combined image surface;
- and
- overlap masking means arranged near the outlet ends of the focus lens elements for improving combined depth of field of an image formed by said focus lens elements by masking the overlap of images focused by said plurality of focus lens elements so as to limit an overlap amount of image close to but more than zero.
A lens array comprising:
- a lens element body comprising a plurality of cylindrical lens elements, each lens element having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a refractive index distribution in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis thereof, the lens elements being arranged contiguously, whereby images of the individual lens elements are overlapped to form a combined image surface;
- and
- depth-of-field improving means arranged near the outlet ends of said lens elements for improving combined depth of field of an image formed by said plurality of lens elements by masking the overlap of images formed by said plurality of lens elements so as to limit an overlap amount of images close to but more than zero.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.