Optical assembly and a method for manufacturing lens systems

An optical assembly comprising:

• a first lenslet;
• a second lenslet;
• and
• a spacer positioned between the first lenslet and the second lenslet,
• wherein the first lenslet, the second lenslet, and the spacer are divided from at least two lens arrays with a plurality of lenslets and at least one spacer, said spacer being located between said two lens arrays and being fixedly attached to said two lens arrays, said spacer having a thickness of 0.02 mm to 0.5 mm;
• each of said plurality of lenslets being no more than 1 mm in diameter.

A method of making a lens assembly using a plurality of lens arrays having a plurality of lenslets and at least one spacer having a plurality of holes, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least two lens arrays, each of the at least two lens arrays having a plurality of lenslets;
• providing at least one spacer;
• positioning the at least one spacer between the at least two lens arrays such that the lenslets of one of the at least two lens arrays overlays the lenslets of another one of the at least two lens arrays, the holes of the at least one spacer being located between the lenslets of the at least two lens arrays;
• attaching the at least two lens arrays to the at least one spacer forming an array assembly;
• and
• dividing the array assembly to create a plurality of individual lens systems, each of the individual lens systems having one lenslet from each of the at least two lens arrays.

A method of making a lens system comprising the steps of:

• providing a first lens array having at least one lens element and a second lens array having at least one lens element;
• providing a spacer;
• aligning the spacer with respect to the first lens array and the second lens array;
• attaching the spacer to the first lens array and the second lens array, thereby forming an array assembly;
• and
• dividing the array assembly into an individual lens system having one of the at least one lens elements of the first lens array and one of the at least one lens elements of the second lens array.

An individual optical assembly comprising:

• a first lens lenslet;
• a second lens element;
• and
• a spacer positioned between the first element and the second lens element, wherein the first element, the second lens element, and the spacer are divided from an array assembly including a first lens array having at least one lens element and a second lens array having at least one lens element, and a spacer attached to the first lens array and the second lens array.