Lens cell preloading systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180559-B2
Application number	US-201615163575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure may include an imaging system with an optical device. The optical device may include a cam tube and a lens cell. The lens cell may be pre-loaded and centered within the cam tube by a plurality of springs and a plurality of bearings. The bearings may form a bearing surface to allow the lens cell to translate within the cam tube. The bearing may include a connector that stabilizes the bearing. The connector may allow for smoother translation of the lens cell within the cam tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a lens cell comprising a housing configured to receive an optical component, wherein the housing includes a plurality of bearing areas; a plurality of bearings, each bearing including a front surface and a back surface and comprising at least two pads and a connector connecting the two pads, wherein a maximum thickness of the pads is greater than a maximum thickness of the connector and a maximum width of the pads is greater than a maximum width of the connector; and
a plurality of springs, each spring including a first end and a second end such that the first end is configured to contact one of the bearing areas, and the second end is configured to contact a back surface of one of the bearings.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical component comprises a substantially cylindrical cross-section and wherein the plurality of bearings comprises at least three bearings arranged substantially equiangular around an axis of the optical component and substantially equidistant from the axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tubular cam tube configured to enclose the lens cell within an inner tube of the cam tube, wherein the lens cell is configured to translate relative to the cam tube along an axis of the optical component, wherein the bearing is configured to translate, with the lens cell, along a major length of the bearing, and wherein the connector is disposed between the pads along the major length.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the optical component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bearings comprises at least three bearings and the plurality of springs comprises at least six springs.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of bearing recesses, each bearing recess configured to house a bearing and at least one spring.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tubular cam tube configured to enclose the lens cell within an inner tube of the cam tube, wherein each bearing further comprises an angled lead in on a side of the front surface and the front surface of each bearing is configured to contact a portion of the inner tube of the cam tube; and
a motor configured to move the lens cell and/or the cam tube, wherein the inner tube of the cam tube includes a cam groove.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pads are substantially circular and the connector is a rectangular strip connecting the pads.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the optical component, wherein the optical component is selected from the group consisting of: a lens, a filter, an imaging array, a sensor, and an aperture.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the springs are coil springs and/or spring washers, wherein an axis of each of the coil spring and/or spring washer is configured to intersect a portion of one of the pads, wherein the portion of each of the pads is configured to contact a portion of an inner tube of a cam tube, and wherein the axis is offset from the connector.

11. A mobile vehicle comprising the apparatus of claim 1 , the mobile vehicle further comprising:
a vehicle body;
an engine;
a gimbal coupled to the vehicle body; and
an imaging system comprising an optical device, wherein the optical device comprises the apparatus and at least a portion of the optical device is coupled to the gimbal, wherein the mobile vehicle is a helicopter, an airplane, a boat, a hovercraft, an automobile, a tracked vehicle, or a motorcycle and the engine is configured to power the mobile vehicle.

12. A method comprising:
transmitting, with a plurality of springs contacting at least one bearing area of a lens cell, a plurality of forces onto a plurality of bearings, wherein each bearing comprises two pads and a connector connecting the two pads, and wherein a maximum thickness of the pads is greater than a maximum thickness of the connector and a maximum width of the pads is greater than a maximum width of the connector;
stabilizing the bearings through the connector connecting the pads; and
holding, due to the forces transmitted, the lens cell substantially centered within an inner tube of a cam tube.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving, with the cam tube, vibrations and holding the lens cell substantially centered within the inner tube of the cam tube when the cam tube is vibrated.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the stabilizing the bearings comprises minimizing rotation, rocking, and/or wobbling of the bearings.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lens cell comprises a substantially cylindrical optical component and the method further comprises translating the lens cell relative to the cam tube along an axis of the optical component.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the inner tube of the cam tube includes at least one cam groove and the method further comprises minimizing rotation, rocking, and/or wobbling of the lens cell when the lens cell is translated relative to the cam tube.

17. A method comprising:
placing a plurality of springs into a plurality of bearing areas on a housing of a lens cell, wherein placing each of the plurality of springs comprises contacting a respective bearing area with the spring;
placing a plurality of bearings onto the springs, wherein placing each of the plurality of bearings comprises contacting at least one respective spring with the bearing, wherein each bearing comprises two pads and a connector connecting the two pads, and wherein a maximum thickness of the pads is greater than a maximum thickness of the connector and a maximum width of the pads is greater than a maximum width of the connector; and
inserting the housing of the lens cell into a cam tube.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the bearing areas comprise a bearing recess and placing the plurality of springs into the plurality of bearing areas comprises placing the plurality of springs into the plurality of bearing recesses.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising compressing the springs before inserting the housing of the lens cell into the cam tube.

Assignees

• Flir Systems

Inventors

• Nolan John
• Delaney Sean L

Classifications

• G02B7/04 Primary

  with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification · CPC title

• G02B7/09

  adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification · CPC title

• G02B27/646

  compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68) · CPC title

• G02B7/021 Primary

  for more than one lens · CPC title

• G02B7/08

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title