Abstract: A lens module (10) for image capture comprises a first positive meniscus lens (16) having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface (18) facing the object side (12), and a second concave optical surface (20) facing the image side (14), and a second positive meniscus lens (22) having a focal length F2 and comprising a third concave optical surface (24) facing the object side (12), and a fourth convex optical surface (26) facing the image side (14). The four surfaces follow the equations: Zi=CURViYi2/(1+(1?(1?Ki)CURVi2Yi2)1/2)+(Ai)Yi2+(Bi)Yi4+(Ci)Yi6+(Di)Yi8 and Mi=1?(1+Ki)(CURVi)2(Ri)2 wherein: i is the surface number, Ki is the conic constant of the i-th surface, CURVi is the curvature of the i-th surface at the optical axis, Ai, Bi, Ci, and Di are aspheric coefficients of the i-th surface, and Ri is the effective radius of the aperture of the i-th surface. The following relations can be satisfied: 0.70<F1/F2<1.30 5<M2/M1<15.

Abstract: An optical module comprises: a first positive meniscus lens having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface facing an object side, and a second concave optical surface facing an image side; a second positive meniscus lens having a focal length F2 and comprising a third concave optical surface facing the object side, and a fourth convex optical surface facing the image side. The four surfaces follow the curvature equation: Zi=CURViYi2/(1+(1?(1+Ki)CURVi2Yi2)1/2)+(Ai)Yi2+(Bi)Yi4+(Ci)Yi6+(Di)Yi8 with Mi=1?(1+Ki)(CURVi)2(Ri)2 where: i is the surface number, Ki is the conic constant of the i-th surface; CURVi is the curvature of the i-th surface at the optical axis; Ai, Bi, Ci, Di, are aspheric coefficients of the i-th surface; Ri is the effective radius of aperture of the i-th surface. The following relations are satisfied: 0.60<F1/F2<1.45, 2<sqrt(M2/M1)<7.

Abstract: An optical module having an object side and an image side; the module comprising, from the object side to the image side: a first positive meniscus lens having a convergence C1, made of a material having a refractive index Nd1 and an Abbe number Vd1, a second negative meniscus lens having a convergence C2 made of a material having a refractive index Nd2 and an Abbe number Vd2, a third positive meniscus lens having a convergence C3, made of a material having a refractive index Nd3 and an Abbe number Vd3, a fourth negative lens having a convergence C4, made of a material having a refractive index Nd4 and an Abbe number Vd4, wherein: 1.1<C1/C<1.35 II C1/C2 II>2 0.5<C1/C3<1.1 C1/Vd1<<5.2 II C2/Vd2 II<7 IIå(Ci/Vdi)II<4 with i=1 to 4.

Abstract: An optical module (10) comprises a positive meniscus lens (16) having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface (12) and a second concave optical surface (20), and a plano-convex lens (22) having a focal length F1 and comprising a third flat optical surface (24) and a fourth convex optical surface (26) from an object side (12) to an image side (14). The curvatures of the four optical surfaces (12, 20, 24, 26) are defined by the equation: Zi=CURViYi2/(1+(1+Ki)CURVi2Yi2)½)+(Ai)Yi2+(Bi)Yi4+(Ci)Yi6+(Di)Yi8, and the two lenses are defined by 0.35<F1/F2<0.90, 0.30<Conv2/Conv<0.70, and 0.50<M1/M2<1.

Abstract: An optical module having an object side and an image side; the module comprising, from the object side to the image side: a first positive meniscus lens having a convergence C1, made of a material having a refractive index Nd1 and an Abbe number Vd1, a second negative meniscus lens having a convergence C2 made of a material having a refractive index Nd2 and an Abbe number Vd2, a third positive meniscus lens having a convergence C3, made of a material having a refractive index Nd3 and an Abbe number Vd3, a fourth negative lens having a convergence C4, made of a material having a refractive index Nd4 and an Abbe number Vd4, wherein: 1.1<C1/C<1.35 II C1/C2 II>2 0.5<C1/C3<1.1 C1/Vd1<<5.2 II C2/Vd2 II<7 IIå(Ci/Vdi)II<4 with i=1 to 4.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for pre-aligning a lens with an optical system, the process comprising: providing a lens and an optical system having an optical axis, wherein the lens is apt to be aligned with the optical system to form on an image plane an image of a source object, the image having top, bottom, left and right edges; coarsely positioning the lens with respect to the optical system; and in a plane normal to the optical axis of the optical system, correcting the position of the lens until the values of four Combination Modulation Transfer Functions (C-MTF) are in predetermined ranges, the C-MTF being calculated at four coarse measurement locations situated close to the edges of the image along two coarse positioning axes crossing the center of the image, each for a combination pattern comprising a combination of a Sagittal pattern and a Tangential pattern.

Abstract: An optical module (10) comprises a positive meniscus lens (16) having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface (12) and a second concave optical surface (20), and a plano-convex lens (22) having a focal length F1 and comprising a third flat optical surface (24) and a fourth convex optical surface (26) from an object side (12) to an image side (14). The curvatures of the four optical surfaces (12, 20, 24, 26) are defined by the equation: Zi=CURViYi2/(1+(1+Ki)CURVi2Yi2)½)+(Ai)Yi2+(Bi)Yi4+(Ci)Yi6+(Di)Yi8, and the two lenses are defined by 0.35<F1/F2<0.90, 0.30<Conv2/Conv<0.70, and 0.50<M1/M2<1.

Abstract: An optical module comprises: a first positive meniscus lens having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface facing an object side, and a second concave optical surface facing an image side; a second positive meniscus lens having a focal length F2 and comprising a third concave optical surface facing the object side, and a fourth convex optical surface facing the image side. The four surfaces follow the curvature equation: Zi=CURViYi2/(1+(1?(1+Ki)CURVi2Yi2)1/2)+(Ai)Yi2+(Bi)Yi4+(Ci)Yi6+(Di)Yi8 with Mi=1?(1+Ki)(CURVi)2(Ri)2 where: i is the surface number, Ki is the conic constant of the i-th surface; CURVi is the curvature of the i-th surface at the optical axis; Ai, Bi, Ci, Di, are aspheric coefficients of the i-th surface; Ri is the effective radius of aperture of the i-th surface. The following relations are satisfied: 0.60<F1/F2<1.45, 2<sqrt(M2/M1)<7.

Abstract: A lens module (10) for image capture comprises a first positive meniscus lens (16) having a focal length F1 and comprising a first convex optical surface (18) facing the object side (12), and a second concave optical surface (20) facing the image side (14), and a second positive meniscus lens (22) having a focal length F2 and comprising a third concave optical surface (24) facing the object side (12), and a fourth convex optical surface (26) facing the image side (14). The four surfaces follow the Equations: Zi=CURVi Yi2/(1+(1?(1?Ki) CURVi2 Yi2)1/2)+(Ai) Yi2+(Bi) Yi4+(Ci) Yi6+(Di) Yi8 and Mi=1?(1+Ki)(CURVi)2(Ri)2 wherein: i is the surface number, Ki is the conic constant of the i-th surface, CURVi is the curvature of the i-th surface at the optical axis, Ai, Bi, Ci, and Di are aspheric coefficients of the i-th surface, and Ri is the effective radius of the aperture of the i-th surface. The following relations can be satisfied: 0.70<F1/F2<1.

Abstract: The present technology relates generally to the manufacturing of optical lenses used in the fabrication of optical modules, such as for miniature camera, as the camera used in mobile phones. More particularly, the present technology relates to devices and methods for manufacturing arrays of lenses.

Abstract: A lens module array comprising a spacer plate comprising (i) first and second surfaces, and (ii) an array of lens barrels, each lens barrel comprising (1) a lens opening extending inward from the first surface of the spacer plate, and (2) a sensor cavity extending inward from the second surface of the spacer plate to meet the lens opening; and (b) at least one lens positioned over each lens opening of a lens barrel, the outer circumference of the lens being attached to the spacer plate.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for pre-aligning a lens with an optical system, the process comprising: providing a lens and an optical system having an optical axis, wherein the lens is apt to be aligned with the optical system to form on an image plane an image of a source object, the image having top, bottom, left and right edges; coarsely positioning the lens with respect to the optical system; and in a plane normal to the optical axis of the optical system, correcting the position of the lens until the values of four Combination Modulation Transfer Functions (C-MTF) are in predetermined ranges, the C-MTF being calculated at four coarse measurement locations situated close to the edges of the image along two coarse positioning axes crossing the center of the image, each for a combination pattern comprising a combination of a Sagittal pattern and a Tangential pattern.

Abstract: Methods of forming a lens array block comprising a plurality of lens barrels are provided, including depositing lens barrel material by electrolysis and etching lens barrels from a block of material. Also provided are means of assembling image capturing units or arrays of image capturing units.

Abstract: An imaging device comprises a lens barrel having a lens opening, and a lens positioned in the lens opening of the lens barrel, the lens having an optical center, a focal length F, an aperture diameter D, and an aperture number FN=F/D. An image sensor comprises an array of light sensing pixels that each have a dimension P, the sensor spaced apart a distance S from the optical center of the lens such that a focus offset gap X=F?S. The pixel dimension P and aperture number FN are selected such that 2·P·FN?X.

Abstract: Methods of forming a lens array block comprising a plurality of lens barrels are provided, including depositing lens barrel material by electrolysis and etching lens barrels from a block of material. Also provided are means of assembling image capturing units or arrays of image capturing units.

Abstract: A lens array block comprises a plurality of lens barrels joined to one another form a three-dimensional unitary structure. Each lens barrel comprises a stepped cylindrical chamber having a through hole with an internal profile having first and second steps that are spaced apart through the height of the through hole, the second step being radially inward of the first step. An image capturing unit comprising the lens block array, and methods of fabrication and assembly are also described.

Abstract: A lens module array comprising a spacer plate comprising (i) first and second surfaces, and (ii) an array of lens barrels, each lens barrel comprising (1) a lens opening extending inward from the first surface of the spacer plate, and (2) a sensor cavity extending inward from the second surface of the spacer plate to meet the lens opening; and (b) at least one lens positioned over each lens opening of a lens barrel, the outer circumference of the lens being attached to the spacer plate.

Abstract: An imaging device comprises a lens barrel having a lens opening, and a lens positioned in the lens opening of the lens barrel, the lens having an optical center, a focal length F, an aperture diameter D, and an aperture number FN=F/D. An image sensor comprises an array of light sensing pixels that each have a dimension P, the sensor spaced apart a distance S from the optical center of the lens such that a focus offset gap X=F?S. The pixel dimension P and aperture number FN are selected such that 2·P·FN?X.

Abstract: A lens assembly comprises a spacer plate having first and second surfaces, and an array of lens barrels that each comprise a lens opening extending inward from the first surface of the spacer plate and a sensor cavity extending inward from the second surface of the spacer plate. An alignment tool comprising an array of alignment holes or prongs is used to align the lens to the orifices of the lens openings.

Abstract: A lens assembly comprises a spacer plate having first and second surfaces, and an array of lens barrels that each comprise a lens opening extending inward from the first surface of the spacer plate and a sensor cavity extending inward from the second surface of the spacer plate. An alignment tool comprising an array of alignment holes or prongs is used to align the lens to the orifices of the lens openings.