Apparatuses, systems, and methods for coordinated lens adjustments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10690921-B1
Application number	US-201815935441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus may include a proximal adjustable-focus lens. The apparatus may further include a distal adjustable-focus lens. The apparatus may additionally include an actuator coupled to both the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens, such that mechanical action by the actuator simultaneously adjusts the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a proximal adjustable-focus lens;
a distal adjustable-focus lens; and
an actuator coupled to a carriage element, wherein the carriage element is coupled to both the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens, such that mechanical action by the actuator drives the carriage element and simultaneously adjusts the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the proximal adjustable-focus lens comprises a proximal liquid lens; and
the distal adjustable-focus lens comprises a distal liquid lens.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the proximal liquid lens further comprises a first force distributor coupled to a membrane of the proximal liquid lens, wherein the first force distributor distributes force applied to a surface area of the first force distributor via the carriage element to a surface area of the membrane of the proximal liquid lens, thereby modifying a shape of the proximal liquid lens; and
the distal liquid lens further comprises a second force distributor coupled to a membrane of the distal liquid lens, wherein the second force distributor distributes force applied to a surface area of the second force distributor via the carriage element to a surface area of the membrane of the distal liquid lens, thereby modifying a shape of the distal liquid lens.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
movement of the carriage element toward the proximal liquid lens moves the carriage element away from the distal liquid lens, thereby causing:
a change in force applied to the proximal liquid lens representing a change in a direction toward the proximal liquid lens; and
a change in force applied to the distal liquid lens representing a change in a direction away from the distal liquid lens; and

movement of the carriage element toward the distal liquid lens moves the carriage element away from the distal liquid lens, thereby causing:
a change in force applied to the distal liquid lens representing a change in a direction toward the distal liquid lens; and
a change in force applied to the proximal liquid lens representing a change in a direction away from the proximal liquid lens.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
movement of the carriage element toward the proximal liquid lens moves the carriage element away from the distal liquid lens, resulting in an increase in a pushing force applied via the carriage element onto the proximal liquid lens and a decrease in a pushing force applied via the carriage element onto the distal liquid lens; and
movement of the carriage element toward the distal liquid lens moves the carriage element away from the proximal liquid lens, resulting in an increase in a pushing force applied via the carriage element onto the distal liquid lens and a decrease in a pushing force applied via the carriage element onto the proximal liquid lens.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
movement of the carriage element toward the proximal liquid lens moves the carriage element away from the distal liquid lens, resulting in:
a decrease in a pulling force applied via the carriage element on the proximal liquid lens and a decrease in a pushing force applied via the carriage element toward the distal liquid lens when the carriage element is at greater than a threshold distance from the proximal liquid lens; and
an increase in a pushing force applied via the carriage element onto the proximal liquid lens and an increase in a pulling force applied via the carriage element on the distal liquid lens when the carriage element is at less than the threshold distance from the proximal liquid lens; and

movement of the carriage element toward the distal liquid lens moves the carriage element away from the proximal liquid lens, resulting in:
a decrease in a pulling force applied via the carriage element on the distal liquid lens and a decrease in a pushing force applied via the carriage element toward the proximal liquid lens when the carriage element is at less than the threshold distance from the proximal liquid lens; and
an increase in a pushing force applied via the carriage element onto the distal liquid lens and an increasing in a pulling force applied via the carriage element on the proximal liquid lens when the carriage element is at greater than the threshold distance from the proximal liquid lens.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a combination of the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens maintains a substantially no optical power as the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens adjust.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a combination of the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens maintains substantially constant optical power as the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens adjust.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
as the proximal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to increase in optical power, the distal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to decrease in optical power; and
as the proximal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to decrease in optical power, the distal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to increase in optical power.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the proximal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to increase in optical power by at least one of:
adjusting to increase in convexity; or
adjusting to decrease in concavity;

the distal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to increase in optical power by at least one of:
adjusting to increase in convexity; or
adjusting to decrease in concavity;

the proximal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to decrease in optical power by at least one of:
adjusting to increase in concavity; or
adjusting to decrease in convexity; and

the distal adjustable-focus lens adjusts to decrease in optical power by at least one of:
adjusting to increase in concavity; or
adjusting to decrease in convexity.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a proximal negative lens that shares an optical axis with the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens and that is adjacent to the proximal adjustable-focus lens.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a combination of the proximal negative lens, the proximal adjustable-focus lens, and the distal adjustable-focus lens maintains substantially no optical power as the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens adjust.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a proximal negative lens that shares an optical axis with the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens and that is adjacent to the proximal adjustable-focus lens; and
a distal positive lens that shares the optical axis and that is adjacent to the distal adjustable-focus lens.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a combination of the proximal negative lens, the proximal adjustable-focus lens, the distal adjustable-focus lens, and the distal positive lens maintains substantially no optical power as the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens adjust.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a see-through display situated between the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus lens, such that, when the proximal adjustable-focus lens is held up to a user's face, the user views the see-through display through the proximal adjustable-focus lens and views past the see-through display through the proximal adjustable-focus lens and the distal adjustable-focus

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ouderkirk Andrew J
• Smyth Katherine Marie
• Lu Lu
• Cooke John
• Sharma Robin

Classifications

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0132

  comprising binocular systems · CPC title

• G02B3/14

  of variable focal length · CPC title

• G02B2027/0127

  comprising devices increasing the depth of field · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title