Focusing lens with electrowetting based macro switch
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsBernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks, Stein Kuiper
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Abstract
The present invention provides a discretely adjustable lens (300) that is controllable by means of electrostatic or electrowetting forces. The lens provides two accurately reproducible and freely designable lens states that are defined by interfaces between one out of two fluids (120,121) and at least one lens face (155). Changing place of the fluids by means of electrostatic or electrowetting forces provides for switching between the lens states. The lens may, for example, provide a macro lens option in a camera lens arrangement.
Claims10
A discretely adjustable focusing lens comprising:
- a lens chamber defining a light path and having at least one lens face (105, 155) arranged along that light path;
- a storage chamber that is fluidly connected with the lens chamber, such that the lens chamber and the storage chamber together form a closed system;
- a fluid system residing in said chambers and including a first fluid, having a first index of refraction, and a second fluid, having a second index of refraction that is different from the first index of refraction, said fluids furthermore being immiscible and exhibiting different forces of attraction to electric fields;
- and
- a fluid system switch comprising electrodes, operative to rearrange the fluid system between a first discrete state and second discrete state by means of electrostatic forces, wherein, in the first discrete state, the at least one lens face is substantially covered by the first fluid, and, in the second discrete state, the at least one lens face is substantially covered by the second fluid
- means for using electrostatic forces to move at least a portion of one of said first fluid and said second fluid from said lens chamber to said storage chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.