Optical unit, image capturing device, and reflective device

Abstract

An optical unit includes a closed hollow body defining an enclosed chamber therein, and having an optical part that confines a portion of the chamber and that is deformable so as to be changeable in thickness and shape in response to changes in an inner pressure in the chamber. An image capturing device includes: a light-proof image-capturing housing that has a lens-mounting port; an image processing unit mounted in the image-capturing housing; and a focus-adjustable lens unit coupled to the lens-mounting port and including a closed hollow body defining an enclosed chamber therein, and having an optical part that confines a portion of the chamber, that is aligned with the lens-mounting port along an optical path, and that is deformable so as to be changeable in thickness and shape in response to changes in an inner pressure in the chamber. A reflective device is also disclosed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional imaging module;

FIG. 2 is a partly exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an image capturing device according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the image capturing device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an optical part of the preferred embodiment according to this invention in an expanded state (?);

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the optical part of the preferred embodiment in a non-expanded state (?);

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a reflective device according to this invention in a state of a narrow viewing angle; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the reflective device according to this invention in a state of a wide viewing angle.

Claims

1. An optical unit comprising: a closed hollow body defining an enclosed chamber therein, and having an optical part that confines a portion of said chamber and that is deformable so as to be changeable in thickness and shape in response to changes in an inner pressure in said enclosed chamber.

2. The optical unit of claim 1, wherein said optical part has a resilient web that is changeable in shape and thickness in response to changes in the inner pressure of said enclosed chamber, and a light directing layer that is formed on said resilient web and that is co-changeable in shape with said resilient web in response to changes in the inner pressure of said enclosed chamber.

3. The optical unit of claim 2, wherein said closed hollow body further has a rigid mounting part that has an open end, and a resilient connecting part that is connected sealingly to and that extends from a periphery of said open end of said rigid mounting part, said resilient connecting part extending from a periphery of said resilient web of said optical part, being integrally formed with said resilient web, and cooperating with said resilient web and said mounting part to define said enclosed chamber thereamong.

4. The optical unit of claim 2, wherein said resilient web is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, isobutylene-isoprene rubber, neoprene rubber, polyurethane rubber, and silicon rubber.

5. The optical unit of claim 2, wherein said light directing layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of silver and chrome.

6. The optical unit of claim 3, wherein said mounting part has an air inlet, said optical unit further comprising a pressure controlling unit connected to said mounting part and in fluid communication with said enclosed chamber through said air inlet for adjusting the inner pressure in said enclosed chamber.

7. The optical unit of claim 3, wherein said resilient connecting part is tapered from said resilient web to said mounting part.

8. The optical unit of claim 1, wherein said light directing layer is in the form of a reflector.

9. The optical unit of claim 1, wherein said light directing layer is transparent.

10. An image capturing device comprising: a light-proof image-capturing housing that has a lens-mounting port;an image processing unit mounted in said image-capturing housing; anda focus-adjustable lens unit coupled to said lens-mounting port of said image-capturing housing and including a closed hollow body defining an enclosed chamber therein, and having an optical part that confines a portion of said chamber, that is aligned with said lens-mounting port along an optical path, and that is deformable so as to be changeable in thickness and shape in response to changes in an inner pressure in said enclosed chamber.

11. The image capturing device of claim 10, wherein said optical part has a resilient web that is changeable in shape and thickness in response to changes in the inner pressure of said enclosed chamber, and a light refractive layer that is formed on said resilient web and that is co-changeable in shape with said resilient web in response to changes in the inner pressure of said enclosed chamber.

12. The image capturing device of claim 11, wherein said closed hollow body further has a rigid mounting part that has an open end, and a resilient connecting part that is connected sealingly to and that extends from a periphery of said open end of said rigid mounting part, said resilient connecting part extending from a periphery of said resilient web of said optical part, being integrally formed with said resilient web, and cooperating with said resilient web and saidmounting part to define said enclosed chamber thereamong.

13. The image capturing device of claim 11, wherein said resilient web is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, isobutylene-isoprene rubber, neoprene rubber, polyurethane rubber, and silicon rubber.

14. The image capturing device of claim 12, wherein said mounting part has an air inlet, said optical unit further comprising a pressure controlling unit connected to said mounting part and in fluid communication with said enclosed chamber through said air inlet for adjusting the inner pressure in said enclosed chamber.

15. A reflective device comprising: a closed hollow body defining an enclosed chamber therein, and having an optical part that confines a portion of said chamber and that is deformable so as to be changeable in thickness and shape in response to changes in an inner pressure in said enclosed chamber, said optical part having a resilient web that is changeable in shape and thickness in response to changes in the inner pressure of said enclosed chamber, and a light reflecting layer that is formed on said resilient web and that is co-changeable in shape with said resilient web in response to changes in the inner pressure of said enclosed chamber.

16. The reflective device of claim 15, wherein said resilient web is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, isobutylene-isoprene rubber, neoprene rubber, polyurethane rubber, and silicon rubber.

17. The reflective device of claim 15, wherein said light reflecting layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of silver and chrome.