Lens module

The disclosure described herein relates generally to a lens module.

With the intelligence development of electronic devices, the electronic devices, like cameras, laptops, mobile phones, are all equipped with lens modules. People not only require the electronic devices have various functions, but also require a lens module capable of capturing image with high performance.

Related lens module usually comprises a barrel having a light hole and a lens group having at least two lens elements. Ideally, the optical axis of the lens group and a line passing through the geometrical center of the light hole should coincide with each other, that is, the barrel and the lens group should be concentric. Furthermore, the connection between the lens elements should also be very stable. However, due to the high sensitivity to the eccentricity, the concentricity and stability of the lens elements are hard to be guaranteed.

Therefore, an improved lens module is provided in the present disclosure to solve the problem mentioned above.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a lens module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a barrel of the lens module as shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a first lens element of the lens module as shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second lens element of the lens module as shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a lens module according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a barrel of the lens module as shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a first lens element of the lens module as shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the first lens element of the lens module as shown in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a second lens element of the lens module as shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 10 is a vertical view of the second lens element of the lens module as shown in FIG. 9 .

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the drawings mentioned above. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Reference will now be made to describe the exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a lens module 100 comprises a barrel 101 , and a lens group 103 disposed in and connecting with the barrel 101 .

The barrel 101 has a first sidewall 101 A, a light hole 101 C formed in the center of the first sidewall 101 A, and a second sidewall 101 B extending from the first sidewall 101 A along a direction perpendicular to the first sidewall 101 A. The first sidewall 101 A and the second sidewall 101 B unite to form a receiving room 102 , and the light hole 101 C communicates with the receiving room 102 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the second sidewall 101 A has a first inclined surface 101 D.

The lens group 103 comprises a first lens element 104 and a second lens element 105 connecting with the first lens element 104 . The first lens element 104 has a first optical axis 104 D and the second lens element 105 has a second optical axis 105 D.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the first lens element 104 has a first surface 104 A opposite to the second lens element 105 , a second surface 104 B opposite to the first surface 104 A and a side surface 104 C connecting with the first surface 104 A and the second surface 104 B. The side surface 104 C engages with the first engaging surface 101 D. The first surface 104 A has a first portion A arranged at the middle of the first surface 104 A and centered about the first optical axis 104 D, a first arc surface 110 extending from the periphery of the first portion A and a second portion 111 extending from the first arc surface 110 and away from the first portion A. The first portion A comprises a first optical surface 106 arranged at the middle of the first surface 104 A and centered about the first optical axis 104 D, a first extending surface 107 extending from the periphery of the first optical surface 106 and away from the first optical axis 104 D, a connecting surface 108 bended along from and extending from the periphery of the first extending surface 107 , and a second extending surface 109 extending from the periphery of the connecting surface 108 and away from the first optical axis 104 D. The second surface 104 B has a second optical surface 112 at the center of the second surface 104 B and centered about the first optical axis 104 D, a third extending surface 113 extending from the periphery of the second optical surface 112 and engaging with the surface of the first sidewall 101 A facing the receiving room 102 , a second inclined surface 114 engaging with the first inclined surface 101 D and a fourth extending surface 115 engaging with the surface of the first sidewall 101 A facing the receiving room 102 . The third and fourth extending surfaces 113 , 115 engaging with the first sidewall 101 A, the second inclined surface 114 engaging with the first inclined surface 101 D and the side surface 104 C engaging with the second sidewall 101 B make the lens module 100 have a first matching precision. The first matching precision is used for ensuring the barrel 101 is coaxial with the first lens element 104 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , the second lens element 105 has an upper surface 105 A near the first lens element 104 , a lower surface 105 B opposite to the upper surface 105 A and a periphery surface 105 C connecting with the upper surface 105 A and the lower surface 105 B. The periphery surface 105 C keeps a predetermined distance from the second sidewall 101 B. The upper surface 105 A has a third portion B arranged at the middle of the upper surface 105 A and centered about the second optical axis 105 D, a second arc surface 118 extending from the periphery of the third portion B and engaging with the first arc surface 110 , and a fourth portion 119 extending from the periphery of the second arc surface 116 and away from the third portion B. The fourth portion 119 keeps a distance from the second portion 111 . The third portion B comprises a third optical surface 116 arranged at the middle of the upper surface 105 A and centered about the second optical axis 105 D, and a first bearing surface 117 extending from the periphery of the third optical surface 116 . The second arc surface 118 engages with the first arc surface 110 for forming a second matching precision of the lens module 100 . The lower surface 105 B has a fourth optical surface 120 at the center of the lower surface 105 B and centered about the second optical axis 105 D, and a second bearing surface 121 extending from the periphery of the fourth optical surface 120 . The second matching precision is used for ensuring the first lens element 104 is coaxial with the second lens element 105 , that is, the first optical axis 104 D is coincide with the second optical axis 105 D.

In the first embodiment, the first arc surface 110 and the second arc surface 118 are configured to be a part of a circle. Specifically, the first arc surface 110 is a convex arc surface, and the second arc surface 118 is correspondingly a concave arc surface. Furthermore, the lens module 100 further has an air interval 122 formed by the first portion A and the third portion B. The air interval 122 is used for receiving a light filter. The thickness of the light filter should be smaller than that of the air interval 122 , thereby the thickness tolerance of the light filter will not impact the matching precision between the first lens element 104 and the second lens element 105 . Besides, the distance between the first portion A and the third portion B, and the distance between the second portion 111 and the fourth portion 119 ensure that the concentricity of the lens group 103 is determined solely by the engaging structure between the first arc surface 110 and the second arc surface 119 , that is, the axiality tolerance of the barrel 101 does not impact the concentricity of the lens group 103 .

The engaging structure between the first lens element 104 and the second lens element 105 ensures the first optical axis 104 D and the second optical axis 105 D are coincide with each other, and the engaging structures between the first lens element 104 and the barrel 101 ensure the center of the light hole 104 C is located on the common optical axis of the first lens element 104 and the second lens element 105 , thereby the concentricity between the barrel 101 and the lens group 103 is ensured.

FIG. 5 illustrates the cross-sectional view of the third embodiment of the lens module according with the present disclosure. A lens module 200 comprises a barrel 201 and a lens group 203 disposed in and connecting with the barrel 201 .

The barrel 201 has a first sidewall 201 A, a light hole 201 C at the center of the first sidewall 201 A, and a second sidewall 201 B extending from the first sidewall along a direction perpendicular to the first sidewall 201 A. The first sidewall 201 A and the second sidewall 201 B unite to form a receiving room 202 , and the light hole 201 C communicates with the receiving room 202 . Referring to FIG. 6 , the first sidewall 201 A has a first inclined surface 201 D. The second sidewall 201 B has a first engaging surface 201 E, an extending surface 201 F extending from the first engaging surface 201 E and bended along a direction far away from the line crossing the center of the light hole 201 C, and a second engaging surface 201 G bended along and extending from the extending surface 201 F. By virtue of the extending surface 201 F, an inner diameter of the first engaging surface 201 E is smaller than an inner diameter of the second engaging surface 201 G. In another word, the second engaging surface 201 G is farther from an optic axis of the barrel 201 than the first engaging surface 201 E.

The lens group 203 comprises a first lens element 204 and a second lens element 205 connecting with the first lens element 204 . The first lens element 204 has a first optical axis 204 D and the second lens element 205 has a second optical axis 205 D.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the first lens element 204 has a first surface 204 A opposite to the second lens element 205 , a second surface 204 B opposite to the first surface 204 A and a side surface 204 C connecting with the first surface 204 A and the second surface 204 B. The side surface 204 C engages with the first engaging surface 201 E. The first surface 204 A has a first portion A 1 arranged at the middle of the first surface 204 A, a first arc surface 209 extending from the periphery of the first portion A 1 and a second portion 210 extending from the periphery of the first arc surface 209 . The first portion A 1 comprises a first optical surface 206 arranged at the middle of the first surface 204 A and centered about the first optical axis 204 D, a transition surface 207 bended from and extending from the periphery of the first optical surface 206 , and a first extending surface 208 extending from the periphery of the transition surface 207 . The second surface 204 B has a second optical surface 211 arranged at the middle of the second surface 204 B and centered about the first optical axis 204 D, a second extending surface 212 extending from the periphery of the second optical surface 211 and engaging with the first sidewall 201 A, an second inclined surface 213 engaging with the first inclined surface 201 D and a third extending surface 214 engaging with the first sidewall 201 A. The second and third extending surfaces 212 , 214 engaging with the first sidewall 201 A, the second inclined surface 213 engaging with the first inclined surface 201 D and the side surface 204 C engaging with the first engaging surface 201 E make the lens module 200 have a first matching precision. The first matching precision is used for ensuring the barrel 201 is coaxial with the first lens element 204 .

Referring to FIG. 8 , the second lens element 205 has an upper surface 205 A near the first lens element 204 , a lower surface 205 B opposite to the upper surface 205 A and a periphery surface 205 C connecting with the upper surface 205 A and the lower surface 205 B. The periphery surface 205 C keeps a distance from the second engaging surface 201 G. The upper surface 205 A has a third portion B 1 arranged at the middle of the upper surface 205 A, a second arc surface 217 extending from the periphery of the third portion B 1 and engaging with the first arc surface 209 , and a fourth portion 218 extending from the periphery of the second arc surface 217 . The fourth portion 218 keeps a distance from the second portion 210 . The third portion B 1 comprises a third optical surface 215 arranged at the middle of the upper surface 205 A and centered about the second optical axis 205 D, and a first bearing surface 216 extending from the periphery of the third optical surface 215 . The second arc surface 217 engages with the first arc surface 209 for forming a second matching precision of the lens module 200 . The lower surface 205 B has a fourth optical surface 219 arranged at the middle of the lower surface 205 B and centered about the second optical axis 205 D, and a second bearing surface 220 extending from the periphery of the fourth optical surface 219 . The second matching precision is used for ensuring the first lens element 204 is coaxial with the second lens element 205 , that is, the first optical axis 204 D is coincide with the second optical axis 205 D.

In this embodiment, the first arc surface 210 has a continuous line C that furthest from the second surface 204 B. Referring to FIG. 8 , the continuous line C is formed by the lowest points of the first arc surface 209 , and the continuous line C is a closed circle. Referring back to FIG. 7 , take the cross-sectional view of the first arc surface 209 on the right for example, the cross-sectional view of the first arc surface 209 on the right is symmetrical about line D. Referring to FIG. 10 , the second arc surface 217 has a continuous line C 1 that furthest from the upper surface 205 A. The continuous line C 1 is formed by the lowest points on the second arc surface 217 , and the continuous line C 1 is a circle. Referring back to FIG. 9 , take the cross-sectional view of the second arc surface 217 on the right for example, the cross-sectional view of the second arc surface 217 on the right is symmetrical about the line D 1 . Optionally, the first arc surface 209 and the second arc surface 217 could be a discontinuous arc surface.

Furthermore, the lens module 200 further has an air interval 221 formed by the first portion A 1 and the third portion B 1 . The air interval 221 is used for receiving a light filter. The thickness of the light filter should be smaller than that of the air interval 221 , thereby, the thickness tolerance of the light filter will not impact the matching precision between the first lens element 204 and the second lens element 205 . Besides, the distance between the first portion A 1 and the third portion B 1 , and the distance between the second portion 210 and the fourth portion 218 ensure the concentricity of the lens group 203 is only decided by the engaging structure between the first arc surface 209 and the second arc surface 217 , that is, the axiality tolerance of the barrel 201 does not impact the concentricity of the lens group 203 .

The engaging structure between the first lens element 204 and the second lens element 205 ensures the first optical axis 204 D and the second optical axis 205 D are coincide with each other, and the engaging structures between the first element 204 and the barrel 201 ensure the center of the light hole 204 C is located on the common optical axis of the first lens element 204 and the second lens element 205 , thereby the concentricity between the barrel 201 and the lens group 203 is ensured.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the specific embodiment, the description of the disclosure is illustrative and is not to be construed as limiting the disclosure. Various of modifications to the present disclosure can be made to the exemplary embodiment by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.