Light output module and lidar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11579401-B2
Application number	US-201716327604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2017
Priority date	Sep 2, 2016
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

The present embodiment relates to a light output module comprising: a first lens part including at least one lens; a second lens part including at least one lens and disposed at a lower side of the first lens part; an actuator for moving the second lens part; a third lens part disposed at a lower side of the second lens part; and a light source disposed at a lower side of the third lens part, wherein the actuator comprises: a first housing receiving the second lens part and including at least one first magnet disposed therein; a second housing receiving the first housing and including at least one second magnet disposed therein; and a third housing including a first coil facing the first magnet and a second coil facing the second magnet, wherein the first housing is operated in a first direction, and the first housing and the second housing are operated in a second direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light output module comprising:
a first lens part comprising at least one lens;
a second lens part comprising at least one lens and disposed below the first lens part;
an actuator for moving the second lens part;
a third lens part comprising at least one lens and disposed below the second lens part; and
a light source disposed below the third lens part;
wherein the actuator comprises
a first housing accommodating the second lens part and having at least one first magnet disposed therein;
a second housing accommodating the first housing and having at least one second magnet disposed therein; and
a third housing comprising a first coil facing the first magnet and a second coil facing the second magnet,
wherein the first housing is driven relative to the second housing along a first direction, and
wherein the first housing and the second housing are driven relative to the third housing along a second direction different than the first direction.

2. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens part and the first housing move towards the first direction by the interaction between the first magnet and the first coil, and
wherein the second lens part, the first housing, and the second housing move towards the second direction by the interaction between the second magnet and the second coil.

3. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein when the second lens part moves towards the first direction, the second lens part and the first housing move integrally while the second housing is fixed, and when the second lens part moves towards the second direction, the second lens part, the first housing, and the second housing move integrally.

4. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens part comprises a first lens at least partially exposed upward and a second lens positioned below the first lens,
wherein the second lens part comprises a third lens positioned below the second lens and a fourth lens positioned below the third lens, and
wherein the third lens part comprises a fifth lens positioned below the fourth lens and a sixth lens positioned below the fifth lens.

5. The light output module according to claim 4 , the light output module comprising a holder unit accommodating the first lens part, the third lens part, and the actuator, and fixing the first lens part and the third lens part.

6. The light output module according to claim 5 , wherein the holder unit comprises a holder for accommodating the first lens part, the third lens part, and the actuator therein, and a cover which downwardly presses the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the first lens and is screw-coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the holder, and
wherein the third lens part comprises a lens barrel which accommodates the fifth lens and the sixth lens and is screw-coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the holder.

7. The light output module according to claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the first lens is larger than a diameter of any one of the second to six sixth lenses.

8. The light output module according to claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the second lens is larger than a diameter of the third lens, and smaller than a diameter of the first lens.

9. The light output module according to claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the third lens corresponds with a diameter of the fourth lens.

10. The light output module according to claim 4 , wherein the fifth lens is focusing lens, and the sixth lens is a collimating lens.

11. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens part is movable by 2.4 to 3.6 mm towards the first direction and is movable by 60 to 120 μm towards the second direction.

12. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal.

13. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to an optical axis of a lens unit comprising the first to lens part, the second lens part and the third lens part.

14. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the first lens part is larger than a diameter of the second lens part.

15. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein a field of view (FOV) of a lens unit comprising the first to lens part, the second lens part and the third lens part is 100 to 160 degrees.

16. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a first guide portion disposed between the first housing and the second housing,
wherein the first housing is guided by the first guide portion, and
wherein the first guide portion comprises a plurality of guide balls disposed spaced apart from each other.

17. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a second guide portion disposed between the second housing and the third housing,
wherein the second housing is guided by the second guide portion, and
wherein the second guide portion comprises a plurality of guide balls disposed spaced apart from each other.

18. The light output module according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is a laser diode.

19. A LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) system comprising: a light output module for illuminating light onto an area to be illuminated; and a light receiving module for sensing light reflected from the area illuminated by the light output module, wherein the light output module comprises a first lens part comprising at least one lens, a second lens part comprising at least one lens and disposed below the first lens part, an actuator for moving the second lens part, a third lens part comprising at least one lens and disposed below the second lens part, and a light source disposed below the third lens part, wherein the actuator comprises a first housing accommodating the second lens part and having at least one first magnet disposed therein; a second housing accommodating the first housing and having at least one second magnet disposed therein; and a third housing comprising a first coil facing the first magnet and a second coil facing the second magnet, and wherein the first housing is driven relative to the second housing in a first direction, and the first housing and the second housing are driven relative to the third housing in a second direction different than the first direction.

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jang Young Bae
• Kim Ji Sung
• Lee Chang Hyuck
• Jung Sung Ki
• Joo Yang Hyun

Classifications

• G02B26/0875 Primary

  by means of one or more refracting elements · CPC title

• G02B7/08

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

• G03B3/10

  Power-operated focusing · CPC title

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title

• G02B7/04 Primary

  with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification · CPC title