Lens array, lens array laminate body , lens array manufacturing method, lens array laminate body manufacturing method, and lens unit manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10481303-B2
Application number	US-201314428317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2013
Priority date	Sep 15, 2012
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A convex fitting portion 30 is provided on a center side to protrude from a support portion 20 , and thus, in an assembling process of joining the lens array 100 to another lens array and the like, the lens array 100 can be precisely positioned by being supported from behind. Furthermore, a fitting portion transfer surface 83 c forming the convex fitting portion 30 forms a concave portion on the center side of a die at the time of molding of the lens array 100 , and thus a volume of a glass droplet, that is, heat capacity is increased, which is advantageous from a viewpoint of making molding of the optical surfaces 11 a and 12 a stable and highly precise, and the problems such as breakage are less likely to occur.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lens array comprising:
a plurality of lens portions, each having an optical axis;
a support portion integrally connecting the plurality of lens portions in a state of being two-dimensionally aligned;
a reference surface for joining provided at the support portion; and
a convex fitting portion which is not optical and is surrounded by the plurality of lens portions on a side opposite to the reference surface to protrude from the support portion and which is specifically configured for positioning with respect to a non-mold holding device,
wherein the lens array is formed by receiving a droplet of melting glass in a die and performing pressing, and
wherein the reference surface is a plane having a normal vector parallel to each optical axis.

2. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting portion has a flat portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axes of the lens portions and an inclined surface portion formed around the flat portion and inclined with respect to the optical axis of the lens portions.

3. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the fitting portion in a direction of the optical axes of the lens portions is larger than that of the lens portion.

4. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lens portions is arranged on lattice points, and the fitting portion has a circular contour.

5. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion has a polygonal contour.

6. The lens array according to claim 1 , further comprising a protruding portion protruding toward an outside from at least a part of the contour of the support portion.

7. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion has a plurality of flat portions extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axes of the lens portions and a plurality of inclined surface portions formed inside the plurality of flat portions and inclined with respect to the optical axes of the lens portions.

8. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the protruding portion in a direction parallel to the optical axes of the lens portions is larger than a height of the fitting portion.

9. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein distances from a center of the fitting portion to centers of the plurality of lens portions are equal to one another.

10. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a volume of the fitting portion to a total volume of the plurality of lens portions is 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less.

11. The lens array according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an area in a plan view of the support portion to an area in a plan view of the support portion, except a portion corresponding to the fitting portion, is 1.2 or more and 1.5 or less.

12. A lens array laminate body including the lens array according to claim 1 as a first lens array; and a second lens array and formed by joining a reference surface of the first lens array to the second lens array.

13. A lens array laminate body manufacturing method, wherein the lens array laminate body is obtained by joining a reference surface of the lens array according to claim 1 as the first lens array to the second lens array.

14. A lens unit manufacturing method, wherein the lens array laminate body manufactured by the lens array laminate body manufacturing method according to claim 13 is divided into individual pieces by being cut in an axial direction.

15. A lens array manufacturing method, which comprises:
supplying a droplet of melting glass to a first die including a plurality of first optical portion transfer surfaces corresponding to first optical surfaces of a plurality of lens portions, each of the plurality of first optical portion transfer surfaces having an optical axis, a first support portion transfer surface corresponding to a first surface of a support portion for integrally connecting the plurality of lens portions in a state of being two-dimensionally aligned, and a fitting portion transfer surface corresponding to a convex fitting portion which is non-optical and is surrounded by the plurality of lens portions on a side opposite to a reference surface for joining which is provided at the support portion to protrude from the support portion and which is configured for positioning with respect to a non-mold holding device, the reference surface being a plane having a normal vector parallel to each optical axis;
interposing the droplet of melting glass between the first die and a second die including a plurality of second optical portion transfer surfaces corresponding to the second optical surfaces of the plurality of lens portions and a second support portion transfer surface corresponding to a second surface of the support portion; and
transferring shapes of the first and second optical portion transfer surfaces, the first and second support portion transfer surfaces, and the fitting portion transfer surface by pressing the second die onto the first die, thereby molding a lens array.

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Sannokyou Takashi

Classifications

• C03B11/08

  for making solid articles, e.g. lenses · CPC title

• G02B3/005 Primary

  arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C03B2215/50

  Structural details of the press-mould assembly · CPC title

• G02B3/0031 Primary

  Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding · CPC title

• C03B2215/414

  Arrays of products, e.g. lenses · CPC title