GB2290151A - Flexible lens mounted in shape memory alloy wire - Google Patents
Flexible lens mounted in shape memory alloy wire Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2290151A GB2290151A GB9411300A GB9411300A GB2290151A GB 2290151 A GB2290151 A GB 2290151A GB 9411300 A GB9411300 A GB 9411300A GB 9411300 A GB9411300 A GB 9411300A GB 2290151 A GB2290151 A GB 2290151A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- lens
- shape memory
- memory alloy
- wire
- alloy wire
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B3/00—Simple or compound lenses
- G02B3/12—Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses
- G02B3/14—Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses of variable focal length
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B15/00—Optical objectives with means for varying the magnification
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B7/00—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
- G02B7/02—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for lenses
- G02B7/04—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for lenses with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification
Abstract
A lens 2 in the form of a flexible transparent material is suspended within an optional circular frame 1 using a shape memory alloy wire 3. The wire may be connected to an electrical circuit. Upon electrical actuation of the shape memory alloy wire, the lens is made to stretch, changing its focal length, and changing the direction of light rays passing through it. On deceasing electrical actuation of the wire, the lens is made to contract, returning it to its original focal length and returning the light rays passing through it to their original path. Switching the electrical current on and off, alternately actuating and not actuating the shape memory alloy wire, results in the lens alternately stretching and contracting, alternately changing the direction of light rays passing through it. The wire may be of Ni - Ti. <IMAGE>
Description
LENS MECHANISM
This invention relates to a lens mechanism.
Lenses are well known devices for the refracting and focusing of light rays.
Lenses, however, have a disadvantage in that their refractive, and thus focusing, properties are fixed dependent on their shape or material of construction.
According to the present invention there is provided a lens mechanism comprising a circular frame, a lens in the form of a flexible transparent material, the lens being suspended within the frame using wire of a shape memory alloy, means for controllably actuating the shape memory alloy wire, the lens being adapted to stretch and contract with the varying length of the shape memory wire upon actuation of the shape memory alloy wire, varying the refractive properties of the lens thereof.
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 shows, front view, the lens mechanism with lens suspended using shape memory alloy wire within the frame; and
Figure 2 shows, front view, a frame-less lens mechanism.
Referring to the drawing the lens mechanism comprises a circular frame 1 and a lens 2 in the form of a flexible transparent material of suitable shape, size and known elastic and refractive properties, suspended within the circular frame 1 using a single wire 3 of a nickel and titanium shape memory alloy by virtue of a lattice arrangement.
In order to suspend the lens, the Ni-Ti wire 3 is distorted from a shorter straight shape to that longer lattice shape required to suspend the lens 2 within the circular frame 1 (not shown).
This Ni-Ti wire 3 is connected to an electrical circuit 4 as shown in Fig. 1.
Completing the circuit and passing electrical current through the
Ni-Ti wire 3 causes it to heat by virtue of electrical resistance and cause it to seek its original shorter straighter shape. This affects the tension by which the lens 2 is suspended within the circular frame 1, causing the lens to stretch, changing its focal length and changing the direction of light rays passing through it.
Stopping the current flow results in the Ni-Ti wire cooling, causing it to revert back to its secondary longer lattice shape, causing the lens to contract, bringing it back to its original focal length and resulting in light rays resuming their original path.
Switching the current through the Ni-Ti wire 3 on and off will thus cause the lens 2 to alternately stretch and contract, causing it to alternate between focal lengths. Alternately changing the direction of light rays passing through the lens in the process.
In order to enhance this functioning there is provided a lens mechanism comprising a lens 2 with Ni-Ti wire 3 wound around the edge of lens 2 by virtue of a lattice arrangement as shown in Fig.
2.
In order to enhance this functioning further still there is provided a lens mechanism comprising a lens 2 in the form a layered arrangement of flexible transparent materials with transparent fluid.
In order to enhance this functioning to an optimum there is provided a lens mechanism comprising a lens 2 in the form a layered arrangement of flexible transparent materials with transparent fluid with Ni-Ti wire 3 wound around the edge of lens 2 by virtue of a lattice arrangement.
Claims (10)
1 A lens mechanism comprising a circular frame, a lens in the
form of a flexible transparent material, the lens being suspended within the frame using wire of a shape memory alloy, means for controllably actuating the shape memory alloy wire, the lens being adapted to stretch and contract with the varying length of the shape memory wire upon actuation of the shape memory alloy wire, varying the refractive properties of the lens thereof.
2 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 wherein actuation of the shape memory alloy is by electrical resistive heating.
3 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the actuation of the shape memory alloy is by ambient thermal heating.
4 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the shape memory alloy is a Nickel-Titanium alloy.
5 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 4 wherein a multiple of more than one or more wires is provided for actuation.
6 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 5 wherein actuation of wires in a multiple is at differing intervals.
7 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the shape memory alloy wire is wound around the edge of the lens.
8 A lens mechanism as claimed in any proceeding claim, wherein the lens is in the form of a layered arrangement of transparent materials.
9 A lens mechanism as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the lens is in
the form of a layered arrangement of transparent materials and
transparent fluid.
10 A lens mechanism substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-2 of the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9411300A GB2290151B (en) | 1994-06-06 | 1994-06-06 | Flexible lens manipulated by shape memory alloy wire |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9411300A GB2290151B (en) | 1994-06-06 | 1994-06-06 | Flexible lens manipulated by shape memory alloy wire |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9411300D0 GB9411300D0 (en) | 1994-07-27 |
| GB2290151A true GB2290151A (en) | 1995-12-13 |
| GB2290151B GB2290151B (en) | 1998-07-08 |
Family
ID=10756260
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9411300A Expired - Lifetime GB2290151B (en) | 1994-06-06 | 1994-06-06 | Flexible lens manipulated by shape memory alloy wire |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2290151B (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102007034485A1 (en) * | 2007-07-20 | 2009-01-22 | Oc Oerlikon Balzers Ag | Device, particularly heating device, has optical element with surface and is arranged at thermally conductive mounting plate, where mounting plate is thermally conductive connected with optical element over total surface |
| CN1928612B (en) * | 2005-09-09 | 2010-05-05 | 鸿富锦精密工业（深圳）有限公司 | Zoom structure of digital camera |
| WO2019186181A1 (en) | 2018-03-29 | 2019-10-03 | Adlens Ltd | Improvements in or relating to variable focusing power optical devices |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP3662316A1 (en) * | 2017-08-05 | 2020-06-10 | Optotune Consumer AG | Optical zoom device |
-
1994
- 1994-06-06 GB GB9411300A patent/GB2290151B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN1928612B (en) * | 2005-09-09 | 2010-05-05 | 鸿富锦精密工业（深圳）有限公司 | Zoom structure of digital camera |
| DE102007034485A1 (en) * | 2007-07-20 | 2009-01-22 | Oc Oerlikon Balzers Ag | Device, particularly heating device, has optical element with surface and is arranged at thermally conductive mounting plate, where mounting plate is thermally conductive connected with optical element over total surface |
| WO2019186181A1 (en) | 2018-03-29 | 2019-10-03 | Adlens Ltd | Improvements in or relating to variable focusing power optical devices |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9411300D0 (en) | 1994-07-27 |
| GB2290151B (en) | 1998-07-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| S28 | Restoration of ceased patents (sect. 28/pat. act 1977) |
Free format text: APPLICATION FILED |
|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20130606 |
|
| S28 | Restoration of ceased patents (sect. 28/pat. act 1977) |
Free format text: RESTORATION ALLOWED Effective date: 20140424 |
|
| PE20 | Patent expired after termination of 20 years |
Expiry date: 20140605 |