# US 7,466,493 B2 · Liquid lens

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- Number: US 7,466,493 B2
- Document ID: US7466493B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/715,371
- Filed: 2007-03-08
- Published: 2007-09-20
- Granted: 2008-12-16
- Earliest claimed: 2006-03-08
- Assignees: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sung Chan Kim; Ha Yong Jung; Jin Hyuck Yang; Young Ho Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7466493B2

## CPC

- G02B 3/14: of variable focal length
- G02B 13/0045: {having five or more lenses}
- G02B 13/006: {at least one element being a compound optical element, e.g. cemented elements}
- G02B 13/0075: {having an element with variable optical properties}
- G02B 13/009: {having zoom function}
- G02B 26/005: {based on electrowetting}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A liquid lens comprises a cylindrical body having a pair of glass lenses which are coupled to upper and lower openings of the body, respectively; an aspheric transmitting partition lens inserted and fixed in the central portion of the body; an auto-focus lens section composed of a first insulating liquid layer and a first electrolyte layer which are filled under the transmitting partition lens so as to form an interface therebetween; an optical zoom lens section composed of a second insulating liquid layer and a second electrolyte layer which are filled above the transmitting partition lens so as to form an interface therebetween; and a minute auto-focus lens section composed of a third insulating liquid layer of which the upper surface comes in contact with the lower surface of the transmitting partition lens and of which the lower surface forms an interface with the first electrolyte layer such that the third insulating liquid layer is not mixed with the first electrolyte layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid lens comprising:
a cylindrical body having a pair of glass lenses which are coupled to upper and lower openings of the body, respectively;
an aspheric transmitting partition lens inserted and fixed in the central portion of the body;
an auto-focus lens section composed of a first insulating liquid layer and a first electrolyte layer which are filled under the transmitting partition lens so as to form an interface therebetween;
an optical zoom lens section composed of a second insulating liquid layer and a second electrolyte layer which are filled above the transmitting partition lens so as to form an interface therebetween; and
a minute auto-focus lens section composed of a third insulating liquid layer of which the upper surface comes in contact with the lower surface of the transmitting partition lens and of which the lower surface forms an interface with the first electrolyte layer such that the third insulating liquid layer is not mixed with the first electrolyte layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein the body has an inner circumferential surface formed of metal coated surface using gold (Au).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein the aspheric partition lens has a bottom surface of which the peripheral portion is formed with an inclined surface which is inclined at an obtuse angle of more than 90 degrees.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein the partition lens is formed of a transmitting material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein the partition lens has a hydrophobic coating film or an insulation coating film formed thereon.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein, by reference to the partition lens, the liquids of the first insulating liquid layer, the first electrolyte layer, and the third insulating liquid layer, which are laminated under the partition lens, have the same characteristic, and the liquids of the second insulating liquid layer and the second electrolyte layer, which are laminated above the partition lens, have the same characteristic.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein the liquids above and under the partition lens have different characteristics and properties from each other.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The liquid lens according to claim 1,
wherein the third insulating liquid layer is driven by a variation in curvature of the upper interface of the first electrolyte layer to which a voltage is applied through a coating film extending from the metal coated surface formed on the inner circumferential surface of the body.