Apparatus and method for making and assembling a multi-lens optical device
AssigneeGentex Corporation
InventorsTodd W. Ashcraft, Robert B. Atac, James Risboskin, Timothy G. Allard, Joseph J. Fontanella, Mark J. Tremback
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for aligning a plurality of high-precision lenses in a lens train. Each of the lenses has at least two alignment tabs disposed around the perimeter of the lens. The lenses are aligned by placing the lenses in a jig having a plurality of high-precision alignment blocks. The lenses are attached to a lower-precision shroud, having slots that receive the alignment tabs. A gap-filling adhesive is used to provide a high-precision fit for the lenses in the shroud.
Claims22
An optical device comprising:
- a lens train including a plurality of lenses, each of the plurality of lenses having a lens body and at least two lens tabs extending outwardly from the lens body;
- a housing having a plurality of lens tab slots, each of the plurality of lens tab slots being configured so that the one of the plurality of lens tabs extends through the lens tab slot when the housing and plurality of lenses are fully assembled;
- and
- an adhesive positioned in at least some of the plurality of lens tab slots that prevents movement of each of the plurality of lenses relative to the housing.
An apparatus comprising:
- a lens train including a plurality of lenses and a housing in which the plurality of lenses are contained in a fixed position, each of the plurality of lenses having a lens body and at least two lens tabs extending outwardly from the lens body, the shape and orientation of each of the at least two tabs on each of the plurality of lenses being different than the shape and/or orientation of each of the at least two tabs on each of the other lenses of the plurality of lenses.
A method for aligning a plurality of lenses in a lens train to form an optical device, the method comprising:
- positioning each of the plurality of lenses on an alignment jig at a first tolerance that is no less than a predetermined alignment tolerance;
- affixing each of the plurality of lenses to a housing at a second tolerance that is no less than the predetermined alignment tolerance, the housing being manufactured to a tolerance that is larger than the predetermined alignment tolerance;
- removing the plurality of lenses and the housing from the alignment jig;
- and
- maintaining the relative position of each of the plurality of lenses within a third tolerance that is no less than the predetermined alignment tolerance after the plurality of lenses and the housing are removed from the alignment jig.
A method comprising:
- positioning a first lens in a first alignment block;
- affixing the first lens to a housing while the lens is positioned in the first alignment block;
- and
- after the affixing step, removing the first lens from the first alignment block with the housing attached.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.