Camera including two light folding elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12585091-B2
Application number	US-202016932602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Jul 22, 2019
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

An optical system includes a first light folding element (e.g., a prism), a second light folding element (e.g., another prism or a mirror), and a lens system located between the first light folding element and the second light folding element. In some cases, the lens system includes a lens stack having either four or five lens elements with refractive power. The first light folding element redirects light from an object field from a first axis to the lens system on a second axis. The plurality of refractive lens elements in the lens stack refract the light to the second light folding element. The second light folding element redirects the light from the second axis onto a third axis to form an image of the object field at an image plane. The optical system has a 35 mm equivalent focal length within a range of 85 to 160 mm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical system, comprising:
a first light folding element; a second light folding element; and a lens system located between the first light folding element and the second light folding element, wherein the lens system includes a lens stack having either four or five lens elements with refractive power; wherein the first light folding element redirects light from an object field from a first axis to the lens system on a second axis; wherein the refractive lens elements in the lens stack refract the light to the second light folding element, wherein the lens stack has only four or five refractive lens elements having, in a consecutive order from an object side of the lens system to an image side of the lens system:
a first lens element having an object-side surface, wherein the object-side surface of the first lens element has a shape consisting of one or more convex shapes,
a second lens element,
a third lens element having an object-side surface, wherein, when the lens stack has only four lens elements with refractive power, the object-side surface of the third lens element has a shape consisting of one or more concave shapes, and
a fourth lens element having an object-side surface, wherein the object-side surface of the fourth lens element has a shape consisting of one or more convex shapes;
wherein the second light folding element redirects the light from the second axis onto a third axis to form an image of the object field at an image plane; and wherein the optical system has a 35 mm equivalent focal length within a range of 85 mm to 160 mm.

2 . The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the lens system has an F-number within a range of 2.8 to 3.5.

3 . The optical system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first light folding element is a first prism, and wherein the second light folding element is a second prism.

4 . The optical system as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the first lens element has positive refractive power for converging light and an aspheric shape to correct spherical aberration, the first lens element having an Abbe number that is greater than 50; the second lens element has negative refractive power and a meniscus shape to correct field curvature, the second lens element having an Abbe number that is less than 30; and the third lens element has a meniscus shape.

5 . The optical system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first light folding element is a prism, and wherein the second light folding element is a mirror.

6 . The optical system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the lens stack has four lens elements with refractive power, in the consecutive order from the object side of the lens system to the image side of the lens system:
the first lens element, wherein the first lens element has positive refractive power for converging light and an aspheric shape to correct spherical aberration, the first lens element having an Abbe number that is greater than 50; the second lens element, wherein the second lens element has negative refractive power and a meniscus shape to correct field curvature, the second lens element having an Abbe number that is less than 30; the third lens element, wherein the third lens element has a meniscus shape; and a fourth lens element with refractive power.

7 . The optical system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lens system includes an aperture stop positioned between a front surface of a first refractive lens element located on an object side of the lens system and a front surface of a second refractive lens element of the lens system.

8 . The optical system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first light folding element is a prism having a refractive index that is greater than 1.5.

9 . The optical system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second light folding element is a prism having a refractive index that is greater than 1.5.

10 . A camera, comprising:
a photosensor configured to capture light projected onto a surface of the photosensor; a first light folding element that redirects light received from an object field from a first axis to a second axis; a lens system that includes a lens stack having either four or five lens elements with refractive power that refract the light on the second axis such that the camera has a 35 mm equivalent focal length within a range of 85 mm to 160 mm, wherein the lens stack has only four or five refractive lens elements having, in a consecutive order from an object side of the lens system to an image side of the lens system:
a first lens element having an object-side surface, wherein the object-side surface of the first lens element has a shape consisting of one or more convex shapes,
a second lens element, and
a third lens element having an object-side surface, wherein, when the lens stack has only four lens elements with refractive power, the object-side surface of the third lens element has a shape consisting of one or more concave shapes, and
a fourth lens element having an object-side surface, wherein the object side surface of the fourth lens element has a shape consisting of one or more convex shapes; and
a second light folding element that redirects the light refracted by the lens system from the second axis to a third axis to form an image of the object field at an image plane at or near a surface of the photosensor.

11 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first light folding element is a first prism, and wherein the second light folding element is a second prism.

12 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the first lens element has positive refractive power for converging light and an aspheric shape to correct spherical aberration, the first lens element having an Abbe number that is greater than 50; the second lens element has negative refractive power and a meniscus shape to correct field curvature, the second lens element having an Abbe number that is less than 30; and the third lens element has a meniscus shape.

13 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first light folding element is a prism, and wherein the second light folding element is a mirror.

14 . The camera as recited in claim 13 , wherein the lens stack has four lens elements with refractive power, in the consecutive order from the object side of the lens system to the image side of the lens system:
the first lens element, wherein the first lens element has positive refractive power for converging light and an aspheric shape to correct spherical aberration, the first lens element having an Abbe number that is greater than 50; the second lens element, wherein the second lens element has negative refractive power and a meniscus shape to correct field curvature, the second lens element having an Abbe number that is less than 30; the third lens element, wherein the third lens element has a meniscus shape; and a fourth lens element with refractive power.

15 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , wherein the lens system includes an aperture stop positioned between a front surface of the first lens element located on an object side of the lens system and a front surface of the second lens element of the lens system.

16 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , further comprising an actuator to move at least one of the lens system or the photosensor.

17 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first light folding element is a prism having a refractive index that is greater than 1.5.

18 . The camera as recited in claim 10 , wherein the second light folding element is

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yao Yuhong

Classifications

• G02B17/04

  using prisms only · CPC title

• G02B7/09

  adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification · CPC title

• G03B5/00

  Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing · 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

• G03B2205/0007

  Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur · CPC title