With Multipart Element Patents (Class 359/741)
  • Publication number: 20130235479
    Abstract: A collecting lens comprises a first surface and a second surface. Said first surface lens is defined as an opposite surface of said collecting lens from said second surface. Said second surface has a lens surface. Said lens surface includes a plurality of lens function surfaces. Each of said lens function surfaces is defined as part of a side surface of corresponding one of elliptical cones. A particular normal line which is arbitrarily selected from normal lines at respective points on said first surface and crosses one of said lens function surface is not parallel to a central axis of the elliptical cone corresponding to said lens function surface crossed by said particular normal line. Said central axes of the elliptical cones are not parallel to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kana Oi, Takayuki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20130235434
    Abstract: A lens array includes a transparent substrate arranged on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, first lenses, which are arranged in a main scanning direction with respect to an light incident on the transparent substrate, and which condense the light, light shielding portions arranged on the transparent substrate except in areas of the first lenses to shield the light, and second lenses, which are laminated on the first lenses, and which are made of a material with a wettability different from that of a material of the first lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryozo AKIYAMA, Atsushi KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 8488247
    Abstract: An object is disposed such that the apparatus is between the object and an observer. The appearance of the object is altered and, in the limit, the object cannot be observed, and the background appears unobstructed. The apparatus is formed of a metamaterial where the properties of the metamaterial are varied as a function of distance from the interfaces. The metamaterial may be fabricated as a composite material having a dielectric component and inclusions of particles of sub-wavelength size, and may also include a gain medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Wenshan Cai, Vladimir M. Shalaev, Uday K. Chettiar, Alexander V. Kildishev
  • Patent number: 8482866
    Abstract: The lens contains a cup-shaped body with a lens bottom and a lens member extended upward from the lens bottom and forming a 49-degree included angle with the lens bottom. The lens member contains, from bottom to top, a number of layers, each having a number of refraction portions. Each refraction portion contains a number of refraction elements arranged in a concentric manner. According to the inclination angle of the lens member, dimensions of the refraction portions, and the distribution of refraction elements, the lens could be applied to various applications with enhanced coverage range and sensory effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: IR-Tec International Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-I Huang
  • Patent number: 8469565
    Abstract: A vehicle light includes a multi-focal lens that has a mid-level lens portion, an upper-level lens portion, and lower-level lens portion, a separator plate with a front edge positioned at or near the focal point of the mid-level lens portion, and a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on the top and bottom of the separator plate, respectively. A first elliptical reflecting surface whose first focal point is set at or near the first light emitting element and whose second focal point is set at or near the focal point of the mid-level lens portion is provided on the top of the separator plate; a second elliptical reflecting surface is provided on the bottom of the separator plate, with a first focal point set at or near the second light emitting element and the second focal point set at or near the focal point of the upper-level lens portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi Yatsuda
  • Patent number: 8411379
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation East
    Inventor: Alan Kathman
  • Patent number: 8389924
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a detector comprising first and second lenses for use with respective first and second sensing means; each lens comprising a plurality of Fresnel facets having respective fields of view adapted such that the fields of view of the first lens are alternately arranged with the fields of view of the second lens such that the fields of view of the first lens are adjacent only to, but do not overlap with, the fields of view of the second lense in a single direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Pyronix Limited
    Inventors: Juan Sebastian H. Stromberg, Craig Leivers
  • Patent number: 8369028
    Abstract: An imaging lens (LN) includes at least one lens block (BK), and an aperture stop (ape). The lens block (BK) includes parallel flat lens substrates (LS) formed of different materials, and a lens (L). In the imaging lens (LN), a first lens block (BK1) positioned closest to an object includes a first lens substrate (LS1) and a lens (L[LS1o], and a prescribed conditional expression is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Yusuke Hirao, Keiji Matsusaka
  • Patent number: 8369026
    Abstract: A manufacture method of a non-spherical lens module includes: firstly, forming a housing having a row of through holes running through a first surface and a second surface thereof; secondly, providing and filling liquid waveguide with the through holes and forming two convex portions at jointing positions of the through holes and said two surfaces respectively; lastly, cooling the liquid waveguide to form the waveguide in the through hole, cooling the two convex portions to form first and second lens portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Yi Hsieh, Yen-Chih Chang
  • Patent number: 8351127
    Abstract: A gradient lens capable of focusing electromagnetic rays received at a first lens surface onto a second lens surface. The first lens surface and second lens surface can include convex surfaces protruding in opposite directions from a substantially planar surface. The lens can include a gradient index between the first surface and the planar surface and a gradient index between the two convex surfaces. The lens can include two or more gradient layers, each gradient layer having an index of refraction different than that of adjacent gradient layers. The gradient layers can focus parallel electromagnetic rays incident on the first surface onto a focal point at the second surface of the lens. As the parallel electromagnetic rays pass from one gradient layer to the next, the rays are redirected toward the focal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: EMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald N. Black, Jr., Enrique Jesus Ruiz, William M. Smith, John Haslam, John L. Beafore
  • Patent number: 8351125
    Abstract: A directional light distributing optical element includes a light incident surface and a light emission curved surface. The light incident surface receives a light emitted by a light source. The light emission curved surface and a first plane are intersected to form a first curve. The first curve has a plurality of first curve segments, and each first curve segment includes at least three first tangent points. After passing each first tangent point along a connecting line of the light source and each first tangent point, the light exits along a first axis, and an included angle formed between the first axis and an optic axis is greater than ?15° and smaller than 15°. Thus, the light after passing the directional light distributing optical element forms a one-dimensional directional light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hui-Hsiung Lin, Wen-Hsun Yang, Chin-Ju Hsu, Yu-Nan Pao
  • Patent number: 8331037
    Abstract: An optical lens includes a main body having an outer convex surface and a bottom surface opposite to the outer convex surface. The bottom surface has an inner concave surface which is concave toward the outer convex surface. The outer convex surface and the inner concave surface cooperatively form two positive lens portions and a negative lens portion. The positive lens portions and the negative lens portion are arranged in a triangular configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Edison Opto Corporation
    Inventors: Mu-Yin Lu, Hung-Hsun Chou
  • Publication number: 20120274993
    Abstract: A lens plate includes at least one lens row including a plurality of lenses aligned in a first direction, each lens including a lens surface that includes perimeter portions extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that two adjacent lenses are contiguous with each other at the perimeter portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro YAMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20120268819
    Abstract: A security device includes at least two lenticular devices, each lenticular device having an array of elongate lenticular focusing elements located above respective sets of image strips, wherein the elongate directions in which the lenticular focussing elements of the two lenticular devices extend are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: DE LA RUE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Lawrence George Commander, Brian William Holmes
  • Patent number: 8259396
    Abstract: A double-sided microlens array is applied to a laser beam shaping and homogenizing device of a laser system. The double-sided microlens array is able to shape the energy distribution of an incident laser beam to a square and flat-top beam with the average uniformity of energy and comprises a base plate, a plurality of first micro lenslets and a plurality of second micro lenslets. The first micro lenslet and the second micro lenslet have the convexes with the same figures and comply with the classification of an optical diffractive element, the first micro lenslets and the second micro lenslets are disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the base plate, which are corresponding to each other in order to tightly line up the arrangements of arrays. The first micro lenslets and the second micro lenslets are correspondingly misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Cheng-Huan Chen, Po-Chou Chen, Chien-Chuan Chen, Po-Hung Yao
  • Patent number: 8198119
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an image sensor is described. A substrate is provided. Multiple photoresist patterns are formed over the substrate, and then a thermal reflow step is performed to convert the photoresist patterns into multiple microlenses arranged in an array. The focal length of the microlens increases from the center of the array toward the edge of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Cheng-Yu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8197062
    Abstract: A variable focus lens system for eyeglasses is disclosed. The system consists of superimposed first and second thin lenses, simulating Alvarez lenses, with one side of each lens divided into Fresnel zones and zone boundaries. The second lens element is slidable for focus adjustment. The Fresnel zone boundary surfaces are made parallel to the user's optical line of sight to reduce visual obstructions, and the zone boundaries may be restricted to areas near the lens periphery to further reduce visual obstructions. The Fresnel zone boundaries may follow paths which enable equal, constant step size for the boundaries along their lengths. An opaque light absorbing coating may be applied to the zone boundaries to reduce light scattering. A fixed prescription lens, having the user's distance and astigmatism corrections, is superimposed on the first and second lens elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Inventor: Glenn Arthur Morrison
  • Patent number: 8194333
    Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging lens composed of four lenses that can be made compact (downsized, thinned), allows a reduction in cost and is compatible with a high pixel imaging element having a megapixel or more incorporated in a small mobile product such as a mobile phone. The imaging lens 7 includes, in order from the object side to the image surface side: an aperture stop 5; a first lens 1 having positive power; a second lens 2 composed of a meniscus lens having negative power whose lens surface facing the image surface side is concave; a third lens 3 composed of a meniscus lens having positive power whose lens surface facing the image surface side is convex, and a fourth lens 4 having negative power whose lens surfaces are both aspheric and lens surface facing the image surface side is concave in the vicinity of the optical axis. A diffractive optical element is formed on one of the lens surfaces of the first lens 1 or one of the lens surfaces of the second lens 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Iba, Masatoshi Yamashita, Nami Nagamori
  • Patent number: 8189277
    Abstract: An optics block includes a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, the substrate being a first material, a plurality of through holes extending in the substrate between the first and second opposing surface, a second material, different than the first material, filling a portion of the through holes and extending on a portion of the first surface of the substrate outside the through holes, and a first lens structure in the second material and corresponding to each of the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Digitaloptics Corporation East
    Inventors: Gregory J. Kintz, Michael R. Feldman, James E. Morris, Paul Elliott, David Keller, W. Hudson Welch, David Ovrutsky, Jeremy Huddleston, Mark Hiatt
  • Patent number: 8179603
    Abstract: An optical element that has a fine textured structure formed on an exit surface thereof. The fine textured structure satisfies the following conditions: ?min/1.71nsub<p<?min/2 and 0.6?min<h<1.5?min, where ?min is the shortest wavelength used in the optical element, nsub is the refractive index of a substrate on which the fine textured structure is formed, p is the pitch of the fine textured structure, and h is the height of the fine textured structure. The textured structure includes a part where some rays incident parallel to the optical axis are totally reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeharu Okuno
  • Publication number: 20120113531
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a regular pattern optical sheet, comprising: a transparent flat plate-shaped body; and a plurality of lens-shaped patterns regularly formed at one surface of the body, each having a same size of more than 0.1 ?m but smaller than 25 ?m in diameter, wherein an angle formed by at least one line of lines straightly connecting each center of the plurality of lens-shaped patterns and a horizontal axis of an LCD pixel formed at an upper surface of the body is more than 5.5° but smaller than 9.5°, and a discrete distance between the plurality of lens-shaped patterns is more than 5% but smaller than 15% of a diameter of the lens-shaped pattern, whereby a high luminance characteristic can be accomplished over the conventional irregular lens pattern arrangement to the betterment of power consumption and environment friendliness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suhyeon Cho, Sangbum Lee, Hyunjoon Kim, Wooyoung Chang, Woong Hwang
  • Publication number: 20120092765
    Abstract: A polylaminate film system for protecting optical surfaces, such as a lens, has plural polymer thin films arranged in a polylaminate stack, with each thin film coupled to adjacent films via solvent welding. The film system is adhered to the optical surface to be protected and, as each film in the stack becomes damaged or dirty, it may be sequentially removed to present a clean film surface. The transparent film may be composed of the same material as the optical surface to minimize distortion and loss of optical transmission when radiation passes through the combined film and lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric V. Kline, Yves C. Martin
  • Patent number: 8159761
    Abstract: Apparatus for concentrating light rays arriving from at least one external source onto a receiver, individual beams of the light rays each arriving at the apparatus substantially collimated, the apparatus including a respective Fresnel lens assembly for each of a plurality of openings, the Fresnel lens assembly including a first Fresnel lens, and a second Fresnel lens, the first Fresnel lens being located between a respective one of the openings and the receiver, the second Fresnel lens being located between the first Fresnel lens and the receiver, the first Fresnel lens for making the light rays arriving from the respective one of the openings parallel with an optical axis of the first Fresnel lens, the second Fresnel lens converging the collimated light rays onto the receiver, each opening being located in front of the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal plane of the first Fresnel lens, centered on the focal point of the first Fresnel lens, and the receiver being located behind the Fresnel lens assembly, on
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Elbit Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Ofer David
  • Publication number: 20120069430
    Abstract: A lens array includes a plurality of lenses having respective optical axes that are approximately parallel to each other, wherein the plurality of lenses are configured in a direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axes and are formed integrally with each other, and a maximum inclination angle of a lens surface on each of a predetermined number of the plurality of lenses is less than or equal 50.8 degrees or less, the maximum inclination angle being defined as a maximum value of an angle formed by an optical axis and a normal line of a lens surface of one of the predetermined number of the plurality of lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro YAMAMURA
  • Patent number: 8134788
    Abstract: A hybrid optical element includes: a glass substrate having a first optically functional surface and a second optically functional surface; and a resin layer bonded to the second optically functional surface. The glass substrate further has an outer peripheral surface provided around the first optically functional surface. The outer peripheral surface has a surface roughness Ra of at least 1 ?m but not more than 20 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Inoue, Junpei Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8111470
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite lens and a method for manufacturing the same, particularly to a composite lens in which a second lens component is coupled to a first lens component at part of a first surface, and intends to improve optical characteristics. A composite lens (1) has a first lens component (10) and a second lens component (20). The first lens component (10) has a first surface including a first lens surface (13), a peripheral surface (15a) surrounding the first lens surface (13) and a ring surface (17a) included in the peripheral surface (15a) and surrounding the first lens surface (13), and a second lens surface (12) on the opposite side of the first lens surface (13). The second lens component (20) is coupled to the first lens component (10) at part of the first surface surrounded by the ring surface (17a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Toshiaki Takano, Jun Murata, Kenji Inoue
  • Publication number: 20120019771
    Abstract: A variety of applications of the integration of lenses and lens arrays into clothing, eyewear, and other worn articles so as to enhance or alter the appearance of a wearer are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventor: David Goodson
  • Patent number: 8098435
    Abstract: An optical combiner in which the number of parts used is lessened is made of a resin. The optical component comprises a first surface, a diffraction grating, and a second surface. The first surface is a surface providing first, second, and third lenses. The diffraction grating diffracts to a common optical path leading to the second surface light of the first wavelength incident on the first lens, light of the second wavelength incident on the second lens, and light of the third wavelength incident on the third lens. The second surface emits light incident thereon through the common optical path. The optical path from the first surface to the diffraction grating and the common optical path are constituted of the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Iyoda, Akira Inoue, Tomomi Sano, Michiko Takushima, Takayuki Shimazu
  • Publication number: 20110304815
    Abstract: An optical magnifier has two light transmissive substrates with lenses on either side of each substrate and wherein the arrays of lenses are aligned such that an array of afocal optical magnifiers is produced. One of the arrays forming the array of afocal magnifiers has positive lenses and one of the arrays forming the array of afocal magnifiers has negative lenses. Two arrays of afocal magnifiers are combined to form a pair of magnifying glasses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicants: SPAARIO INC., Michael P. NEWELL
    Inventor: Michael P. NEWELL
  • Patent number: 8052278
    Abstract: An optical component (10) comprises at least one transparent set of cells (15) juxtaposed parallel to a surface of the component, each cell having a size and a geometry that are different from those of its neighbors forming a network of cells with random distribution and random geometry, parallel to the surface of the component. Each cell is hermetically sealed and contains at least one substance with optical property. The invention also comprises a method of producing such an optical component and its use in the fabrication of an optical element. The optical element can in particular be a spectacle lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Essilor International (compagnie Generale d'optique
    Inventors: Christian Bovet, Jean-Paul Cano, Gilles Mathieu
  • Patent number: 8054564
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Digitaloptics Corporation East
    Inventor: Alan Kathman
  • Patent number: 8045279
    Abstract: A lens is manufactured by hardening soft material filled inside a molding tool by cooling. The lens includes a convex lens portion having an optical axis, and a marking portion located outside of an effective diameter of the lens portion. The shape or the position of the marking portion is set to prevent deformation of the marking portion by contact with the molding tool due to shrinkage of the material during cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiro Kuwa, Hideki Komiya, Masashi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20110255179
    Abstract: A photoelectric lens module is utilized to focus a light source. A fabrication method comprises steps of providing a first substrate; positioning a plurality of gap units on the first substrate, and forming a plurality of gap regions amongst the gap units on the first substrate; providing a second substrate comprising a plurality of photoelectric lens units, in which the positions of the photoelectric lens units are corresponding to the locations of the gap regions; and filling a transparent rubber in the gap regions in such that the first substrate and the second substrate are adhered closely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Chien-Feng Lin, Cheng-Yu Huang, Chi-Yin Lin, Chi-Cheng Chiou
  • Publication number: 20110216544
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is characterized by providing an optical transfer function between a predetermined illuminated surface pattern, such as a street light pattern, and a predetermined energy distribution pattern of a light source, such as that from an LED. A lens is formed having a shape defined by the optical transfer function. The optical transfer function is derived by generating an energy distribution pattern using the predetermined energy distribution pattern of the light source. Then the projection of the energy distribution pattern onto the illuminated surface is generated. The projection is then compared to the predetermined illuminated surface pattern to determine if it acceptably matches. The process continues reiteratively until an acceptable match is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventors: Ronald G. Holder, Greg Rhoads
  • Patent number: 8009362
    Abstract: A light enhancement film provided in the disclosure includes a substrate and an optical microstructure having a plurality of hexagonal cylindrical lenses inseparably arranged on a surface of the substrate in accordance with a honeycombed arrangement. Each of the hexagonal cylindrical lenses has different cross-sectional areas that are gradually narrowed from the surface of the substrate in a direction away from the substrate, and every two adjacent lenses have a gap therebetween. Furthermore, a display device having the light enhancement film is provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Yen Chen
  • Patent number: 7978416
    Abstract: A method for generating spontaneously aligned surface wrinkles utilizes control of local moduli-mismatch and osmotic pressure. The method includes modifying the surface of an elastomeric layer to form a superlayer that is stiffer and/or less absorbent than the elastomeric layer. The elastomeric layer is then swollen with a polymerizable monomer, which causes buckling of the superlayer. The monomer is then polymerized, dimensionally stabilizing the surface buckling. The buckled surfaces generated by the method are useful in a wide variety of end-use applications, including microlenses, microlens arrays, compound microlenses, diffraction gratings, photonic crystals, smart adhesives, mechanical strain sensors, microfluidic devices, and cell culture surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Edwin P. Chan
  • Patent number: 7950799
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ophthalmic lens comprised of two lens materials with a gap between them of less than about 5 mm. The gap is formed and maintained by particles on the perimeter of the surfaces of both lens materials. Methods are also provided for creating a gap between two lens materials and for producing an ophthalmic lens with a gap between two lens materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Ophthonix, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary D. Mills, Gomaa Abdelsadek, Laurence Warden, Jagdish M. Jethmalani
  • Patent number: 7948690
    Abstract: A composite lens of the present invention has a base lens and a resin lens placed on the base lens. The resin lens has, in an area outside an optically effective diameter, a first surface, a second surface that is adjacent to the first surface, and a third surface that is adjacent to the second surface in sequence from an optical axis to an outer circumference. The first surface has an inclined surface that becomes higher from the outer circumference toward the optical axis, and the inclined surface is connected to the second surface. The second surface has a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis, and the substantially perpendicular plane is connected to the first plane. The third surface has an inclined surface that becomes lower from an inner circumference toward the outer circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ai Takumi, Satoru Ota, Yutaka Ueta
  • Patent number: 7948678
    Abstract: This invention presents a four-region catadioptric tile. The four-region catadioptric tile includes a first surface, a second surface, and a filler material layer between the first and second surfaces. The four regions includes a first region wherein the first surface is convex and the second surface is convex, a second region wherein the first surface is convex and the second surface is concave, a third region wherein the first surface is concave and the second surface is convex, and a third region wherein the first surface is concave and the second surface is concave. The surface morphology of each of the four-region catadioptric tiles can be repeated across an entire tessellated projection screen or an angularly dependent retroreflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Merlin Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Peter Poulsen
  • Patent number: 7944624
    Abstract: A method of homogenizing light includes the steps of providing a plurality of large diameter lenses selected from a group of lenses consisting of positive or negative spherical, positive or negative cylindrical lenses and positive or negative axicons, selecting a predetermined number of lenses from the group of lenses, segmenting each selected lens in a manner common to all selected lenses, selecting from each lens a predetermined number of lens segments, and arranging the selected lens segments in a predetermined array so that the light passing through each lens segment, when arranged in the predetermined array, recombines at a common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Inventor: Michael J. Scaggs
  • Patent number: 7940477
    Abstract: The invention generally pertains to the field of solid immersion lenses for optical applications in high resolution microscopy. The lens of the invention includes a spherical sector limited by a planar surface and an object having nanometric dimensions arranged on the planar surface at the focus of said solid immersion lens. A light-opaque layer having a central opening with nanometric dimensions can be provided on the planar surface, said opening being centred on the focus of the solid immersion lens. The nano-object can be a tube or a thread having a cylindrical shape. The lens of the invention can be made using lithography techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Commissariat A l'Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Mickaël Brun, Salim Mimouni, Sergio Nicoletti, Ludovic Poupinet, Hubert Moriceau
  • Patent number: 7920342
    Abstract: Accurate lens substrates on a waferscale are obtained by forming a polymer material on a lens surface formed on a lens wafer. The substrate may also be thinned by the glass lens surface forming process at the portion of the lens. The polymer material may have the same or different optical properties (refractive index and dispersion) as the lens wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Jacques Duparre, Steve Oliver
  • Patent number: 7848033
    Abstract: Apparatus for concentrating light rays arriving from at least one opening onto a receiver, individual beams of the light rays each arriving at the apparatus substantially collimated, the apparatus including a respective Fresnel lens assembly for each opening, the Fresnel lens assembly including a first Fresnel lens, and a second Fresnel lens, the first Fresnel lens being located between the opening and the receiver, the second Fresnel lens being located between the first Fresnel lens and the receiver, the first Fresnel lens collimating the light rays arriving from the opening, the second Fresnel lens converging the collimated light rays onto the receiver, the opening being located in front of the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal plane of the first Fresnel lens, centered on the focal point of the first Fresnel lens, and the receiver being located behind the Fresnel lens assembly, on the focal point of the second Fresnel lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Elbit Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Ofer David
  • Patent number: 7843649
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a microlens that serves to prevent damage thereto in the fabrication process is provided. First, a lens body of which the maximum height housed within a recess is lower than the height of the side wall of the recess is formed in the lens formation region by performing patterning that transfers the shape of a first resist pattern to a substrate by using the first resist pattern as an etching mask. Thereafter, a partial region of the substrate which is outside the lens formation region is removed to form an outline by using a second resist pattern as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Maeno
  • Patent number: 7841715
    Abstract: A variable focus lens system that can be used in eyeglasses is disclosed. The system consists of superimposed first and second transparent thin lenses with surfaces divided into Fresnel zones and zone boundaries. The lenses are relatively slidable for focus adjustment. The Fresnel zone boundary surfaces are made parallel to the user's optical line of sight to reduce visual obstructions, and the zone boundaries may be restricted to areas near the lens periphery to further reduce visual obstructions. An opaque light absorbing coating may be applied to the zone boundaries to reduce light scattering. A fixed prescription lens, having the user's distance and astigmatism corrections, may be superimposed on the other two lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventor: Glenn Arthur Morrison
  • Patent number: 7830619
    Abstract: An imaging lens of which optical performance does not deteriorate even in a high temperature environment, various aberrations are well corrected, optical length is short, and back focus is sufficiently secured; the imaging lens comprising: an aperture stop S; and a junction type compound lens 14 having a positive refractive power, characterized in that the aperture stop and the compound lens are arranged in this sequence from an object side to an image side. The junction type compound lens comprises a first lens L1, a second lens L2 and a third lens L3, arranged in this sequence from the object side to the image side. The first lens and the third lens are formed of a curable resin material, and the second lens is formed of a high softening temperature optical glass material. The first lens and the second lens are bonded with adhesive, and the second lens and the third lens are bonded with adhesive. The object side face of the first lens and the image side face of the third lens are aspherical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Milestone Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Do
  • Patent number: 7826152
    Abstract: A composite optical device 1 includes a first optical section 10 having an optical functional surface 11 and a second optical section 20 bonded to the first optical section 10 on the optical functional surface 11. The optical functional surface 11 includes a smooth part 13 and a concave-convex part 12 adjacent to each other, and is constructed so that a position P2, along a normal direction of the smooth part 13, of a concave bottom of the concave-convex part 12 can be closer to the center of the first optical section 10 than a position P1 along the normal direction of an end of the smooth part 13 on a side of the concave-convex part 12 in a boundary vicinity portion NR between the smooth part 13 and the concave-convex part 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Inoue
  • Patent number: 7808716
    Abstract: Negative refraction in photonic crystals and diffraction grating is used to design plano-concave lenses to focus plane waves. Microwave experiments are carried out to demonstrate negative refraction and the performance of these lenses. Demonstration of negative refraction of visible light is also performed for the grism. These lenses can be used in optical circuits, astronomical applications, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Northeastern University
    Inventors: Wentao T. Lu, Srinivas Sridhar, Plarenta Vodo, Patanjali Parimi, Yongjian Huang
  • Patent number: 7791823
    Abstract: A microlens substrate is provided having a plurality of first microlenses and a plurality of second microlenses which are located between the plurality of first microlenses. The second microlenses are smaller than the first microlenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7755849
    Abstract: An exemplary lens includes an optical axis, an optically active part, and an optically inactive part surrounding the optically active part. The optically inactive part includes a base and a peripheral sidewall extending in a direction parallel to the optical axis. The base is connected with the active part. The side wall is a hollow cylinder. The sidewall has an internal thread formed on an internal surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sheng-Jung Yu