LOW TOTAL TRACK LENGTH FOR LARGE SENSOR FORMAT

Abstract

Lens assemblies comprising from an object side to an image side, seven lens elements numbered L1-L7; an optical window; and an image sensor having a sensor diagonal length (SDL), wherein an exemplary lens assembly has a total track length TTL that includes the optical window an effective focal length EFL and a field of view (FOV), wherein TTL/EFL<1.100, wherein TTL/SDL<0.64, wherein FOV<90 degrees, wherein a normalized thickness standard deviation constant T_STD and a central thickness CT of at least three of the seven lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.065, and wherein a focal length f1of lens element L1 fulfills f1/EFL<0.95.

Description

FIELD

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to optical lenses, and more particularly, to miniature lens assemblies.

BACKGROUND

Digital camera modules are now standard in a variety of host devices. Such host devices include cellular telephones (smartphones), personal data assistants (PDAs), computers, and so forth. Cameras in smartphones in particular require a compact imaging lens system for good quality imaging and with a small total track length (TTL) relative to the size of the image sensor in such cameras. The image sensor size can always be expressed by the sensor diagonal, SDL.

SUMMARY

In various exemplary embodiments, there are disclosed lens assemblies comprising: from an object side to an image side, seven lens elements numbered L1-L7, an optical window and an image sensor having a sensor diagonal length (SDL), wherein an exemplary lens assembly has a total track length TTL that includes the optical window, an effective focal length (EFL) and a field of view (FOV), wherein TTL/EFL<1.100, wherein TTL/SDL<0.64, wherein FOV<90 degrees, wherein a normalized thickness standard deviation constant T_STD and a central thickness CT of at least three of the seven lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.065, and wherein a focal length f₁ of lens element L1 fulfills f₁/EFL<0.95.

In an embodiment, D/2 is an aperture radius and wherein a sign of z(r) from z(0.85*D/2) to z(D/2) is positive for surfaces LO₁, LI₁ of L1 and surfaces LO₂, LI₂ of L2, and negative for surfaces LO₄, LI₄ of L4, LO₅, LI₅ of L5 LO₆, LI₆ of L6 and LO₇, LI₇ of L7.

In some embodiments, ach element has a clear aperture (CA) and wherein a CA of lens elements L3 or L4 is the smallest of all CAs in the lens assembly.

In some embodiments, TTL/EFL<1.090.

In some embodiments, TTL/EFL<1.083.

In some embodiments, TTL/SDL<0.63.

In some embodiments, TTL/SDL<0.61.

In some embodiments, lens element L1 is convex on the object side.

In some embodiments, the lens elements have, starting with lens element L1, a power sign sequence of positive-negative-positive-negative-positive-positive-negative.

In some embodiments, the CT of at least 6 of the 7 lens elements complies CT/TTL<0.07.

In some embodiments, the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.11.

In some embodiments, the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.10.

In some embodiments, T_STD/CT<0.05.

In some embodiments, f₁/EFL<0.9.

In some embodiments, f₁/EFL<0.85;

In some embodiments, a focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>4.0.

In some embodiments, focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>6.0.

In some embodiments, focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>8.0.

In some embodiments, a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>15.0.

In some embodiments, a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>30.0.

In some embodiments, a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>45.0.

In some embodiments, a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.015.

In some embodiments, a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.01.

In some embodiments, a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.007.

In some embodiments, SDL=12 mm and FOV<82.1 degrees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting examples of embodiments disclosed herein are described below with reference to figures attached hereto that are listed following this paragraph. Identical structures, elements or parts that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same numeral in all the figures in which they appear. The drawings and descriptions are meant to illuminate and clarify embodiments disclosed herein and should not be considered limiting in any way. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a lens assembly disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein and numbered 100. Embodiment 100 comprises in order from an object side to an image side a plurality of lens elements (here exemplarily seven lens elements numbered L1-L7) with a common optical axis 102. The lens further comprises three aperture stops marked S1 and two blocking surfaces S8 and S9. Lens element surfaces are marked “Si”, with S2 marking an object side surface of first lens element L1 and S18 marking an image side of lens element L7. Lens 100 further comprises an optional glass window 104 disposed between surface S18 and an image sensor 106 for image formation of an object. Image sensor 106 has a size characterized by an image sensor diagonal SDL.

The TTL is defined as the distance from the S₁ to the image sensor. FIG. 1 also shows a back focal length (BFL), defined as the distance from the last surface of the last lens element S_2N to the image sensor.

For convenience in some equations and relations presented below, lens element surfaces are also marked “LO_i” on the object side surface of lens element number i and “LI_i,” on the image side surface of lens element number i.

Surface Types

Surface types are defined in Table 1 and the coefficients for the surfaces are in Table 2:

a) Plano: flat surfaces, no curvature

b) Q type 1 (QT1) surface sag formula:

$\begin{array}{cc}z\left(r\right)=\frac{{\mathrm{cr}}^2}{1+\sqrt{1-\left(1+k\right)c^2{r}^2}}+D_{\mathrm{con}}\left(u\right)D_{\mathrm{con}}\left(u\right)=u^4\sum _{n=0}^N{A}_n{Q}_n^{\mathrm{con}}\left(u^2\right)u=\frac{r}{r_{\mathrm{norm}}},x=u^2\begin{array}{ccc}{Q}_0^{\mathrm{con}}\left(x\right)=1& Q_1^{\mathrm{con}}=-\left(5-6x\right)& Q_2^{\mathrm{con}}=15-14x\left(3-2x\right)\end{array}{Q}_3^{\mathrm{con}}=-\left\{35-12x\left[14-x\left(21-10x\right)\right]\right\}{Q}_4^{\mathrm{con}}=70-3x\left\{168-5x\left[84-11x\left(8-3x\right)\right]\right\}{Q}_5^{\mathrm{con}}=-\left[126-x\left(1260-11x\left\{420-x\left[720-13x\left(45-14x\right)\right]\right\}\right)\right]& \left(\mathrm{Eq}.1\right)\end{array}$

where {z, r} are the standard cylindrical polar coordinates, c is the paraxial curvature of the surface, k is the conic parameter, r_norm is generally one half of the surface's clear aperture, and A_n. are the polynomial coefficients shown in lens data tables. z-axis is positive towards image.

In this specification, the term “RMO_i,” refers to the aperture radius of a surface LO_i. The term “RMI_i,” refers to the aperture radius of a surface LI_i.

In this specification, the term “normal thickness” (NT) is a function of r marked NT_i(r), and refers to the distance between the two surfaces of a lens element at coordinate r along the normal vector of the surface closer to object. Several functions and constants are defined per normal thickness:

For r=0, NT_i(r=0) is defined as the central thickness (CT) of lens element i (CT_i)

A “thickness average” (T_AVG_i) constant is given by:

$\begin{array}{cc}{\mathrm{T\_AVG}}_i=\frac{1}{N}\sum _{k=0}^N{\mathrm{NT}}_i\left(\frac{k·{\mathrm{RMO}}_i}{N}\right)& \left(\mathrm{Eq}.2\right)\end{array}$

where k is a discrete variable that runs from 0 to N, where N is an integer >10 (for this and all other functions and constants below).

A normalized thickness standard deviation (T_STD_i) constant is given by:

$\begin{array}{cc}{\mathrm{T\_STD}}_i=\frac{1}{{\mathrm{RMO}}_i}\sqrt{\frac{1}{N}\sum _{k=0}^N{\left({\mathrm{NT}}_i\left(\frac{k·{\mathrm{RMO}}_i}{N}\right)-{\mathrm{T\_AVG}}_i\right)}^2}& \left(\mathrm{Eq}.3\right)\end{array}$

where k is a discrete variable that runs from 0 to N, and where T_AVG_i is defined as in (Eq.2).

In this specification, a “gap” or an “air gap” refers to the space between consecutive lens elements. Several functions and constants per gap are defined:

A “Gap_i(r)” function (for r=0, an “on-axis gap” OA_Gap_i) is defined as the thickness LI_i Gap_i(r)=OA_Gap_i+z(r) of LI_i—z(r) of LO_i+1, where z(r) is it standard polar coordinate z. OA_Gap,(r=0) of LI_i is the air thickness which is the air gap for r=0.

A “gap average” (G_AVG_i) constant is given by:

$\begin{array}{cc}{\mathrm{G\_AVG}}_i=\frac{1}{N}\sum _{k=0}^N{\mathrm{Gap}}_i\left(\frac{k·R{\min }_i}{N}\right)& \left(\mathrm{Eq}.4\right)\end{array}$

where k is a discrete variable that runs from 0 to N, where N is an integer >10, and where Rmin_i is the minimum aperture radius value of surfaces {RMI_i, RMO_i+1};

A normalized gap standard deviation (G_STD_i) constant is given by:

$\begin{array}{cc}{\mathrm{G\_STD}}_i=\frac{1}{R{\min }_i}\sqrt{\frac{1}{N}\sum _{k=0}^N{\left({\mathrm{Gap}}_i\left(\frac{k·R{\min }_i}{N}\right)-{\mathrm{G\_AVG}}_i\right)}^2}& \left(\mathrm{Eq}.5\right)\end{array}$

and G_AVG, is defined as in (Eq.4).

TABLE 1
EFL = 6.75 mm, F# = 1.80, HFOV = 41.0 deg.
					Aperture
			Curvature	Central	Radius				Focal
Surface #	Comment	Type	Radius	Thickness	(D/2)	Material	Index	Abbe #	Length f
1	A. S	Plano	Infinity	−0.908	1.880
2	L1	QT1	2.331	0.965	1.910	Plastic	1.54	55.9	6.55
3			5.744	0.032	1.800
4	L2	QT1	4.828	0.208	1.790	Plastic	1.67	19.4	−13.88
5			3.122	0.289	1.630
6	L3	QT1	5.131	0.452	1.620	Plastic	1.54	55.9	17.40
7			10.834	0.110	1.530
8	Stop	Plano	Infinity	0.080	1.470
9	Stop	Plano	Infinity	0.383	1.480
10	L4	QT1	−725.052	0.358	1.620	Plastic	1.67	19.4	−55.34
11			39.028	−0.290	1.900
12	Stop	Plano	Infinity	0.760	1.905
13	L5	QT1	16.247	0.281	2.150	Plastic	1.57	37.4	308.74
14			17.8	0.631	2.360
15	L6	QT1	3.628	0.503	3.180	Plastic	1.60	28.3	11.50
16			7.205	1.295	3.420
17	L7	QT1	−4.684	0.369	4.500	Plastic	1.54	55.9	−4.97
18			6.612	0.366	4.740
19	Filter	Plano	Infinity	0.2100	6.600	Glass	1.52	64.2
20			Infinity	0.3000	6.600
21	Image	Plano	Infinity	—	6.200
* Reference wavelength is 587.6 nm (d - line)
* Units are in mm except for index and Abbe #. HFOV indicates half field of view

TABLE 2
Aspheric Coefficients
Surface #	Rnorm	A4	A6	A8	A10
2	1.932	9.9940E−03	−4.7500E−03	−2.9987E−03	−9.0698E−04
3	1.932	8.7490E−02	6.5977E−02	2.4979E−02	1.6077E−02
4	1.847	1.1859E−02	6.3506E−02	9.9150E−04	6.1490E−03
5	1.677	5.3358E−02	5.0530E−02	−3.1217E−03	−1.4993E−03
6	1.666	4.9696E−02	5.5310E−02	1.6953E−02	5.2611E−03
7	1.610	−1.3866E−02	2.8507E−02	1.4152E−02	6.3734E−03
10	1.717	−4.2084E−01	−4.7698E−02	−1.6836E−02	−9.1824E−03
11	1.972	−4.8789E−01	2.9587E−02	2.9227E−02	9.8845E−03
13	2.107	−8.3702E−01	−4.1159E−02	2.3372E−02	2.7289E−02
14	2.399	−1.0545E+00	1.1548E−01	8.9981E−03	4.5560E−03
15	3.049	−2.8037E+00	2.8375E−01	5.5647E−02	−2.1641E−02
16	3.398	−2.3573E+00	3.7757E−01	3.7804E−02	−4.3086E−02
17	4.316	6.5309E−01	8.4437E−01	−4.0343E−01	1.9637E−01
18	4.670	−4.2765E+00	9.9979E−01	−3.6429E−01	2.0098E−01
Surface #	A12	A14	A16	A18	A20
2	−3.3763E−04	−8.8742E−05	−5.9283E−05	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
3	5.9956E−03	5.5077E−03	1.2558E−03	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
4	−4.1612E−04	2.6196E−03	5.9748E−04	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
5	−2.6943E−03	−4.6173E−04	−1.5513E−04	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
6	1.1659E−03	2.5551E−04	5.3420E−05	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
7	2.6374E−03	8.6554E−04	2.1797E−04	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
10	−4.7317E−03	−1.8472E−03	−4.5679E−04	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
11	1.3992E−03	−2.7093E−04	−2.0424E−04	0.0000E+00	0.0000E+00
13	5.2402E−03	9.4540E−04	2.0861E−04	1.8088E−04	0.0000E+00
14	−1.0297E−02	3.1228E−03	4.0339E−03	1.4174E−03	0.0000E+00
15	−1.1934E−02	2.9700E−03	4.8437E−03	−6.6223E−04	−6.9121E−04
16	8.4277E−03	7.9687E−03	3.9145E−03	−3.9617E−03	−8.7507E−04
17	−6.6969E−02	2.4300E−02	−6.4810E−03	1.6529E−03	−1.0244E−04
18	−1.0479E−01	3.6269E−02	−1.0994E−02	4.8537E−03	−4.6735E−04

Table 3 below summarizes the design characteristics and parameters as they appear in the example listed above. These characteristics help to achieve the goal of a compact lens (i.e. small TTL) with a large image height (i.e. large SDL) and small F number (F#):

TABLE 3
“AA”: AA1 ≡ TTL/EFL < 1.100, AA2 ≡ TTL/EFL < 1.090, AA3 ≡ TTL/EFL < 1.083;
“BB”: BB1 ≡ TTL/SDL < 0.64, BB2 ≡ TTL/ SDL < 0.63, BB3 ≡ TTL/SDL < 0.61;
“CC”: Lens 1 is convex on object side;
“DD”: the CA of Lens 3 or Lens 4 is the smallest of all element CAs;
“EE”: power sign sequence: +−+−++−;
“FF”: The central thickness (CT) of at least 6 of the 7 lens elements complies with: FF1 =
      CT/TTL < 0.07;
“GG”: The T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with: GG1 ≡ T_STD/
      CT < 0.11, GG2 ≡ T_STD/CT < 0.1;
“HH”: The T_STD of at least 3 of the 7 lens elements complies with: HH1 ≡ T_STD/
      CT < 0.065, HH2 ≡ T_STD/CT < 0.05;
“II”  Sign of z(r) from z(0.85*D/2) to z(D/2) is positive for surfaces LO1, LI1, LO2, LI2,
      and negative for surfaces LO4, LI4, LO5, LI5, LO6, LI6, LO7, LI7;
“JJ”: JJ1 ≡ f1/EFL < 0.95, JJ2 ≡ f1/EFL < 0.9, JJ3 ≡ f1/EFL < 0.85;
“KK”: KK1 ≡ |f5/EFL| > 4.0, KK2 ≡ |f5/EFL| > 6.0, KK3 ≡ |f5/EFL| > 8.0;
“LL”: LL1 ≡ |f6/EFL| > 15.0, LL2 ≡ |f6/EFL| > 30.0, LL2 ≡ |f6/EFL| > 45.0;
“MM”: Gap between Lens 1 and Lens 2 that complies with: MM1 ≡ G_STD < 0.015,
      MM2 ≡ G_STD < 0.01 and MM3 ≡ G_STD < 0.007;
“NN”: for the given SDL (12 mm), 0 ≤ FOV < 82.1 degrees.

In summary, various lens assembly embodiments disclosed herein have or fulfill different design characteristics and parameters listed in the Tables above. While this disclosure describes a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of such embodiments may be made. In general, the disclosure is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A lens assembly comprising: from an object side to an image side, a) seven lens elements numbered L1-L7;b) an optical window; andd) an image sensor having a sensor diagonal length (SDL),wherein the lens assembly has a total track length TTL that includes the optical window, an effective focal length EFL and a field of view (FOV)<90 degrees, wherein TTL/EFL<1.100, wherein TTL/SDL<0.64, wherein a normalized thickness standard deviation constant T_STD and a central thickness CT of at least three of the seven lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.065, and wherein a focal length f1 of lens element L1 fulfills f1/EFL<0.95.

2. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein D/2 is an aperture radius and wherein a sign of z(r) from z(0.85*D/2) to z(D/2) is positive for surfaces LO1, LI1 of L1 and surfaces LO2, LI2 of L2, and negative for surfaces LO4, LI4 of L4, LO5, LI5 of L5 LO6, LI6 of L6 and LO 7, LI7 of L7.

3. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein each element has a clear aperture (CA) and wherein a CA of lens elements L3 or L4 is the smallest of all CAs in the lens assembly.

4. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/EFL<1.090.

5. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/EFL<1.083.

6. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/SDL<0.63.

7. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/SDL<0.61.

8. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein lens element L1 is convex on the object side.

9. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the lens elements have, starting with lens element L1, a power sign sequence of positive-negative-positive-negative-positive-positive-negative.

10. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the CT of at least 6 of the 7 lens elements complies CT/TTL<0.07.

11. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.11.

12. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.10.

13. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein T_STD/CT<0.05.

14. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein f1/EFL<0.9.

15. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein f1/EFL<0.85;

16. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f5 of lens element L5 fulfills If5/EFLI>4.0.

17. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f5 of lens element L5 fulfills If5/EFLI>6.0.

18. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f5 of lens element L5 fulfills If5/EFLI>8.0.

19. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f6 of lens element L6 fulfills f6/EFLI>15.0.

20. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f6 of lens element L6 fulfills f6/EFLI>30.0.

21. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f6 of lens element L6 fulfills f6/EFLI>45.0.

22. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.015.

23. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.01.

24. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.007.

25. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein SDL=12 mm and wherein FOV<82.1 degrees.