Optical apparatus and imaging system including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016161701-A1
Application number	US-201414905704-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical apparatus captures imaging light entering into an imager to acquire an image of an object. The optical apparatus includes a lens module and a support. The lens module is configured by a combination of two or more lenses, captures the imaging light through the lenses, and focuses the captured imaging light on the imager. The support supports the lens module at a position apart from the imager by a predetermined distance, such that the imager and the lenses are aligned on the optical axis, and a focal point of the imaging light is formed on the imager. The support is formed such that an expansion-contraction ratio, at which the support expands or contracts along the optical axis in accord with changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus, becomes a first expansion-contraction ratio at which the support expands or contracts so as to cancel a movement of the focal point occurring in the lens module along the optical axis in accord with the changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus.

First claim

1 . An optical apparatus that captures imaging light entering into an imager to acquire an image of an object, the optical apparatus comprising:
a lens module configured by a combination of two or more lenses, which captures the imaging light through the lenses, and focuses the captured imaging light on the imager; a support that supports the lens module at a position apart from the imager by a predetermined distance, such that the imager and the lenses are aligned on the optical axis, and a focal point of the imaging light is formed on the imager, wherein the support is formed such that an expansion-contraction ratio, at which the support expands or contracts along the optical axis in accord with changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus, becomes a first expansion-contraction ratio at which the support expands or contracts so as to cancel a movement of the focal point occurring in the lens module along the optical axis in accord with the changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus.

2 . The optical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the support is composed of a temperature compensating material into which a fibrous material is mixed, and formed such that the expansion-contraction ratio becomes the first expansion-contraction ratio by adjusting a proportion of the fibrous material disposed along the optical axis and a proportion of the fibrous material disposed perpendicular to the optical axis.

3 . The optical apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a barrel that houses at least a portion of the lens module that expands and contracts along the optical axis in accord with changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus, and expands and contracts at a second expansion-contraction ratio that is equal to or greater than the expansion-contraction ratio of the lens module.

4 . The optical apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising
a cap that is mounted to the barrel on a side opposite to the side where the support is mounted, wherein the lens module is set up in the barrel and in the cap, and the cap has a housing space that is capable of housing at least a portion of the lens module, and expands and contracts at a third expansion-contraction ratio that is equal to or greater than the expansion-contraction ratio of the lens module.

5 . The optical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the support is fixed onto a substrate to which the imager is mounted.

6 . The optical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the support is fixed to the imager.

7 . An imaging system comprising:
an imager; and an optical apparatus that captures imaging light entering into the imager to acquire an image of an object; wherein the optical apparatus includes:
a lens module configured by a combination of two or more lenses, which captures the imaging light through the lenses, and focuses the captured imaging light on the imager; and
a support that supports the lens module at a position apart from the imager by a predetermined distance, such that the imager and the lenses are aligned on the optical axis, and a focal point of the imaging light is formed on the imager, wherein
the support is formed such that an expansion-contraction ratio, at which the support expands or contracts along the optical axis in accord with changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus, becomes a first expansion-contraction ratio at which the support expands or contracts so as to cancel a movement of the focal point occurring in the lens module along the optical axis in accord with the changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus.

8 . The optical apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising
a barrel that houses at least a portion of the lens module that expands and contracts along the optical axis in accord with changes in ambient temperature of the optical apparatus, and expands and contracts at a second expansion-contraction ratio that is equal to or greater than the expansion-contraction ratio of the lens module.

9 . The optical apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the support is fixed onto a substrate to which the imager is mounted.

10 . The optical apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the support is fixed onto a substrate to which the imager is mounted.

11 . The optical apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the support is fixed onto a substrate to which the imager is mounted.

12 . The optical apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the support is fixed to the imager.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Takama Daisuke
• Kimura Takayuki

Classifications

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N5/2254

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02B7/028 Primary

  with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation · CPC title

• G02B7/021

  for more than one lens · CPC title

• G02B13/16

  for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers {, or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV} · CPC title