Patents Examined by Vipin M. Patel
  • Patent number: 7616381
    Abstract: An optical system, adapted for providing an image beam, including a light source, a beam splitting/combining device, and a light valve is provided. The light source provides an illumination beam. The beam splitting/combining device includes a first polarizing beam splitter (PBS), a second PBS, a quarter wave plate (QWP), and a reflector. The first PBS reflects a first illumination beam of the illumination beam from the light source and the second illumination beam from the light source passes through the first PBS. The second illumination beam from the first PBS passes through the second PBS and the QWP, reflected by the reflector, passes through the QWP, and reflected by the second PBS. The light valve converts the first illumination beam from the first PBS and the second illumination beam reflected by the second PBS into the image beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Himax Display Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Shen, Chia-Yu Hu, Chun-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 7609458
    Abstract: A projection apparatus includes a distance measuring unit that measures a distance to a screen on which an image is to be projected; a projection unit that has a zoom mechanism unit capable of changing a zoom magnification of a projection image, executes focusing based on the distance measured by the distance measuring unit and projects an image on the screen; and an elevation angle control unit that controls an elevation angle of the distance measuring unit based on the zoom magnification set by the zoom mechanism unit in such a way that a distance measuring center line of the distance measuring unit corresponds to a center point of a projection area of the projection image, wherein the center point of a projection area is determined according to the zoom magnification of the zoom mechanism unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 7609466
    Abstract: A lens module includes a first lens and a second lens. The first lens includes a first central round portion and a first peripheral portion. The first peripheral portion has a first radially extending portion surrounding the first central round portion, and a first axially extending portion extending from the first radially extending portion. The first radially extending portion has a plurality of through holes defined therein. The second lens includes a second central round portion and a second peripheral having a second radially extending portion surrounding the second central round portion, and a second axially extending portion extending from the second radially extending portion. The second axially extending portion fittingly engaged in the first axially extending portion. The second axially extending portion and the first lens cooperatively define an inner space. The through holes are in communication with the inner space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Chieh Yen
  • Patent number: 7609461
    Abstract: A method of forming an optical module includes mounting an image sensor to a base of a substrate and bonding a lens housing to a sidewall of the substrate. A mounting surface of the lens housing includes a locking feature having a horizontal surface and a vertical surface. The sidewall of the substrate includes a joint surface. To bond the lens housing to the sidewall of the substrate, a bond is formed between the horizontal surface of the locking feature of the lens housing and the joint surface of the sidewall. Further, a bond is formed between the vertical surface of the locking feature of the lens housing and an interior surface of the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Webster, Thomas P. Glenn, Roy Dale Hollaway
  • Patent number: 7605964
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an array of micromirrors with non-fixed underlying structures which can be oriented to have principal rotational axis with no structural and mechanical interference and with no electrical conflict. The micromirror array in the present invention can reproduce various surfaces including spherical, aspherical (e.g. parabolic, hyperbolic, elliptical, etc.), anamorphic, other than rotational symmetric profiles. With the newly introduced non-fixed underlying structure, the present invention makes possible for a micromirror array to generate a desired optical surface profile by simple motion controls and to improve structural stability, simplicity, flexibility, and efficiency in motion and motion control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignees: Angstrom, Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Woo Gim, Jin Young Sohn, Gyoung Il Cho, Cheong Soo Seo
  • Patent number: 7605991
    Abstract: A lens module includes a first lens assembly, a first lens barrel, a second lens assembly, a second lens barrel having a bottom with a through hole, an elastic member and a holder receiving the first lens barrel and the elastic member therein. The first lens barrel has one of guiding protrusions and guiding grooves, and the holder has the other one of the guiding protrusions and the guiding grooves, the guiding protrusions being adapted for sliding in the guiding grooves. The first lens barrel has one of sloping portions and protrusions on an end facing toward the second lens barrel, and the second lens barrel has the other one of the sloping portions and the protrusions therein, the second lens barrel is threadedly movable relative to the holder, whereby the protrusions slide on the sloping portions such that the first lens barrel is forced to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsung-Wei Chiang
  • Patent number: 7602562
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for supporting a device for processing an electronic component substrate includes an assembly supporting a laser lens in a gravity field for focusing movement along a Z-axis by a linear actuator. A fluid counterbalance for the assembly is defined by a piston associated with a housing for movement between end limits of travel. The piston divides the housing into first and second fluid chambers having first and second fluid communication ports. A fluid pressure source is connectable to the first and second chambers through the first and second fluid communication ports. The fluid pressure source is adjustable to statically suspend the supported laser lens in equilibrium within the gravity field. The fluid pressure source permits movement of the supported laser lens to any position between opposite end limits of travel of the piston, while maintaining the mass of the supported laser lens in equilibrium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Kosmowski
  • Patent number: 7595943
    Abstract: A camera module includes a lens assembly, a lens barrel, an image sensor, a hollow holder receiving the lens barrel and the image sensor, and a thermally deformable member. The lens assembly defines a first focal length with a first focus point at a first temperature and a second focal length with a second focus point at a second temperature on an optical axis associated therewith. The thermally deformable member has one end attached to the lens barrel and an opposite end attached to the holder. The thermally deformable member comprises a first sheet and a second sheet. Wherein at the second temperature, the second sheet bends toward the first sheet thereby moving the second focus point toward the first focus point and the image plane of the lens assembly with the second focal length toward the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun-I Yuan
  • Patent number: 7595929
    Abstract: An acousto-optic device having at least one groove on the backside improves acoustic termination of the device. The grooves can be added early in device fabrication and are compatible with batch processing, thereby avoiding the separate device handling. Grooving can be performed on the cell, before it is mounted to a batch plate. This simplifies batch plate processing by using a backside that remains parallel to the bondface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Crystal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie Gordon, Ronald Charles Dwelle, Jon Fowler
  • Patent number: 7586685
    Abstract: A sheeting includes a layer of a shape-memory polymer material having a surface of microlenses, wherein each of the microlenses is associated with one of a plurality of images within the sheeting. The layer of the shape-memory polymer material is responsive to an external stimulus; e.g., temperature, solvent, or moisture; by transitioning from a first state in which an optical property of the microlenses has a first value to a second state in which the optical property of the microlenses has a second value. The microlenses have refractive surfaces that transmit light to positions within the sheeting to produce a composite image from the images formed within the sheeting when the layer of the shape-memory polymer material is in one of the first state and the second state. At least one of the images is a partially complete image, and each of the images is associated with a different one of the microlenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas S. Dunn, Mieczyslaw H. Mazurek, James M. Jonza
  • Patent number: 7586696
    Abstract: An apparatus for assembling lenses includes a lens tray, a support and a tray-securing member. The lens tray defines a plurality of lens-receiving holes configured for receiving lenses and a plurality of positioning holes defined therein. The support is configured for supporting the lens tray and defines a plurality of positioning pins thereon configured for extending through the corresponding positioning holes of the lens tray. The tray-securing member includes a pressing portion defining a through hole therein and a plurality of sleeves configured for receiving the positioning pins therein. The pressing portion is configured for downwardly pressing the lens tray to prevent the lens tray from shaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng-Shiun Wu
  • Patent number: 7576930
    Abstract: A lens module includes a seat supporting a first lens barrel and the second lens barrel thereon. The seat includes a body equipped with an electromagnet and two columns extending from the body. The first lens barrel includes a first sleeve equipped a lens therein. Two first arms extend from the sleeve and engage with the columns of the seat, respectively. The second lens barrel is equipped with a magnetic member corresponding to the electromagnet of the seat. The second lens barrel includes a second sleeve equipped a lens therein. Two second arms extend from the second sleeve and movably engage with columns of the seat. The electromagnet is configured for applying a magnetic force to the magnetic member to drive the second lens barrel to move between the seat and the first lens barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sheng-Jung Yu
  • Patent number: 7567392
    Abstract: An image capture lens includes, in following order from an object side, a first lens made of glass which has a meniscus shape with a convex surface facing the object side and has positive refractive power, an aperture stop, a second lens made of glass which has a meniscus shape with a convex surface facing an image side and has negative refractive power, and a third lens made of resin which has a convex surface facing the object side and has positive refractive power. The image capture lens satisfies following conditional formulae (1) and (2): f2/f<?3.5, and??(1) f3/f>3.5,??(2) where f: focal length of the entire lens system; f2: focal length of the second lens; and f3: focal length of the third lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Tamura
  • Patent number: 7567393
    Abstract: An assembling system for assembling lens includes a base, a lens-assembling jig mounted on the base, an elastic member, and a push rod. The lens-assembling jig includes a first cylinder, a second cylinder coaxially connected to the first cylinder, and a post rod. The elastic member is disposed between the base and the second cylinder. The post rod is configured for pushing the optical elements into the first cylinder from the second cylinder. The system for assembling lens can accurately assemble the optical elements, so it can improve the capability of the lens module to capture image. The present invention also discloses an assembling method using the assembling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Hung Chen, Chin-Ching Wang
  • Patent number: 7564630
    Abstract: A scanning type image display apparatus is disclosed which is capable of forming an exit pupil with a shape and a size which facilitate observation. The apparatus includes a scanning unit, a first optical system introducing a light flux to the scanning unit, a second optical system converging the light flux from the scanning unit, a diffractive optical element receiving the converged light flux, and an ocular optical system. Two directions in diametral directions of the light flux are first and second directions. The optical element increases the divergent angles of an emerging light flux therefrom in the first and second directions as compared with the convergent angles of an incident light flux thereinto in the two directions and increases the divergent angle of the emerging light flux in the first direction as compared with the divergent angle thereof in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Kobayashi, Akira Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7557993
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical pickup corresponding to plural kinds of optical discs which can be downsized and simplified, and can compensate the spherical aberration. Optical path separation for separating the optical path of a first and a second optical beams as approaching beams to an optical disc 100 into optical paths directed to a first objective lens 51 and a second objective lens 52 corresponding to the optical beams, optical path combination for combining different optical paths of a first and a second reflected optical beams as returning beams which come in from the first and second objective lenses 51, 52, and approach-and-return optical path separation for separating the optical path of the approaching beam and the optical path of the returning beam are realized by the beam separation/composition prism 44.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Arai
  • Patent number: 7554756
    Abstract: A drive frame 34 as a cylindrical molded article has a drive frame main body 34a, three first cam grooves 34c, three second cam grooves 34d, three high-density regions H, and three cam pins 43. The cam pins 43 are disposed in the circumferential direction between first center lines X1 which are positioned in the center in the circumferential direction between adjacent high-density regions H, and the high-density regions H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Iyoda, Suguru Nakao, Shouichi Irie
  • Patent number: 7551376
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a lens barrel and an image input device including the lens barrel. The invention includes a third lens retention frame. The third lens retention frame includes an arm, an outer frame, a rotatable slider movable in an optical axis direction with respect to the outer frame for retaining a third lens group, and a spring for energizing the rotatable slider to the optical axis direction with respect to the outer frame. The rotatable slider takes two positions alternately every time it is pushed by an external force that is applied to the optical axis direction a forward position toward the subject side in the optical axis direction with respect to the outer frame and a backward position toward the image side in the optical axis direction with respect to the outer frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Terunori Koyama
  • Patent number: 7545590
    Abstract: An optical lens module includes a lens barrel and a barrel base. The lens barrel includes an external wall. The barrel base has a receiving housing for receiving the lens barrel therein. The receiving housing includes an internal wall. The lens barrel defines at least a first positioning block or at least a second positioning slot at the external wall along a longitudinal axis of the lens barrel. The receiving housing defines at least a first positioning slot corresponding to the first positioning block or at least a second positioning block corresponding to the first positioning slot at the internal wall of the receiving housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wei-Chung Chang
  • Patent number: 7525733
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes a substrate having a plurality of pixels and a plurality of on-chip lenses arranged above the substrate, each on-chip lens having a lens surface formed by subjecting a transparent photosensitive film to exposure using a mask having a gradation pattern and development so that the lens surface serves to correct shading in accordance with the gradation pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ken Ozawa