JP4521350B2 - Lens array mold and method for manufacturing lens array mold - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens array mold and a technique effective when applied to a manufacturing technique thereof.

For example, a lens array configured by arranging a plurality of equivalent optical surfaces is widely used as various optical elements.
Conventionally, in order to create a lens array mold for manufacturing this lens array by mold molding, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, each of a plurality of through holes provided in advance in a mold plate Insert a metal piece for one lens into the lens, fix each gold piece one by one while adjusting the eccentricity, and manufacture a lens array by molding using a plurality of gold pieces arranged on this template. It is known.

  Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, with respect to a metal plate, a diamond tool whose tip is set to the shape of the molding surface is used to repeatedly cut and form a concave depression for one lens at a time. It has been practiced to repeatedly form a molding surface one by one by pushing a metal rod having a fine spherical shape at the tip into the metal plate.

According to the above-described conventional method, there has been a technical problem that it takes a lot of time for processing in order to repeatedly process each molding surface corresponding to one lens one by one.
In the case of Patent Document 1, the alignment accuracy of the lenses varies depending on the alignment accuracy of the individual metal pieces. In the cutting process using the diamond cutting tool of Patent Document 2, the molding surface itself is worn due to wear of the cutting tool. There is also a technical problem that variations in shape are unavoidable.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 4-4126 JP 2001-30306 A

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of obtaining a lens array mold for manufacturing a lens array composed of an arbitrary number of lens groups in a short time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost and highly accurate lens array mold.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the optical accuracy of individual lenses and the arrangement accuracy between lenses in a lens array composed of an arbitrary number of lens groups.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of first solid bodies each having a molding surface and at least one second solid body interposed between the first solid bodies and adjusting the positional relationship of the first solid bodies. When, including, providing a type lens array.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a step of preparing a plurality of first solid bodies each having a molding surface and at least one second solid body for adjusting the positional relationship between the first solid bodies ;
Wherein by interposing the second solid during the first three-dimensional, and a step of arranging the first stereo and the second stereo, and to provide a method of manufacturing a mold for a lens array.

  In the present invention, a lens array mold having a desired molding surface arranged at regular intervals is manufactured in a short time by arranging a plurality of solid bodies such as spheres adjacent to each other. In the case of using a sphere as a three-dimensional object, the regular interval between the molding surfaces can be set to an arbitrary value by combining with a sphere having a different diameter.

  As described above, according to the present invention, since only solids such as spheres that have been processed in advance are arranged, each molding surface of the lens array mold can be formed in a short time with high accuracy.

According to the present invention, a lens array mold for manufacturing a lens array composed of an arbitrary number of lens groups can be obtained in a short time.
Further, it is possible to provide a lens array mold with high accuracy at low cost.

  In addition, it is possible to improve the accuracy of arrangement of the optical surfaces of the individual lenses and the lenses in the lens array composed of an arbitrary number of lens groups.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a lens array mold according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, as an example, a rectangular box-shaped frame 11 having an open top and a sphere 12 are prepared. Since a part of the outer peripheral surface of the sphere 12 functions as a molding surface 14 described later, dimensions such as the diameter D0 of the sphere 12 are set so as to satisfy a necessary condition for the molding surface 14.

  The lens array mold 10 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which spheres 12 are arranged adjacent to each other in a rectangular box-shaped frame 11 having an open top. That is, as shown in FIG. 2 and the like, a plurality of spheres 12 are packed in the frame 11 adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions without a gap. The surface of the sphere 12 exposed from the opening of the frame 11 functions as the molding surface 14.

That is, the plurality of molding surfaces 14 are in a state where the horizontal arrangement pitch px and the vertical arrangement pitch py are regularly arranged at intervals of D0.
In the case of the present embodiment, SiC (silicon carbide) is used as the material of the frame 11 and WC (tungsten carbide) is used as the material of the sphere 12. As the material of the frame 11, metals, cermets, ceramics, glass and the like can be used as other materials. As the material of the sphere 12, metal, glass, cermet, ceramics, and the like can be used as other materials.

  Even in this state, the lens array mold 10 can be used for the molding process. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3 below, the gap between the spheres 12 inside the spheres 12 is further filled as a coupling member. A plurality of spheres 12 may be coupled to each other by filling the material 15 to further stabilize the arrangement state.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the filler 15 made of a melt is poured into the gap 13 between the spheres 12 inside the frame 11. For example, glass, resin, or metal can be used as the melt to be the filler 15, but in the present embodiment, as an example, molten glass is poured from the crucible 15 a into the gap 13 as the filler 15. In the present embodiment, the case where the glass previously melted in the crucible 15a is poured is exemplified, but the glass powder is put in the gap portion 13 in advance, and the entire lens array mold 10 is heated. It is also possible to cool and solidify after filling the gap portion 13.

  After the melt of the filler 15 is cured, as shown in FIG. 4, the exposed portion from each filler 15 (frame 11) of the plurality of spheres 12 arranged at a predetermined interval is used as the molding surface 14. The lens array mold 10 has a convex shape for forming a concave surface.

  Further, as exemplified in FIG. 5, a convex surface having a molding surface 21 having irregularities opposite to the molding surface 14 by transferring the molding surface 14 of the lens array mold 10 to glass or resin using the molding surface 14 as a mother die. A lens array mold 20 having a concave shape for formation can be obtained.

A coating film (not shown) may be formed on the molding surface 14 of the lens array mold 10 or the molding surface 21 of the lens array mold 20 for the purpose of improving the mold release function and preventing oxidation.
As described above, the lens array mold 10 according to the present embodiment has a plurality of spheres 12 packed inside the frame 11 so as to be adjacent to each other, and the upper surface of the sphere 12 exposed from the opening of the frame 11. Therefore, the lens array mold 10 can be manufactured in a very short time as compared with the case where the individual molding surfaces 14 are repeatedly formed by machining or the like. Further, the accuracy of the arrangement interval of the molding surfaces 14 is maintained by the sphericity of the sphere 12, and the lens array mold 10 having the arrangement pitch of the molding surfaces 14 with high accuracy can be manufactured at a low cost in a short time. become.

  In addition, by using a molding surface 14 of the obtained lens array mold 10 as a mother mold and transferring it to glass or resin, it is possible to easily obtain the lens array mold 20 having the molding surface 21 in which the projections and depressions are reversed. be able to.

  Further, by using the lens array mold 10 or the lens array mold 20 thus obtained, an optical material such as glass or resin is molded, so that a high precision molded with the molding surface 14 or the lens array mold 20 is achieved. An optical element (not shown) having an optical surface can be manufactured in a short time at a low cost.

  FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a lens array mold that is a modification of the present embodiment, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the portion indicated by line VII-VII in FIG. 6, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6.

In this modification, the lens array mold 10-1 has a configuration in which a sphere 12 as a first solid and an interval adjusting member 17 as a second solid are arranged in a frame 11.
In this modification, SiC is used as the material of the frame 11, and WC is used as the material of the sphere 12 and the interval adjusting member 17.

  As the material of the frame 11, metals, cermets, ceramics, glass and the like can be used as other materials. Other materials such as metal, glass, cermet, and ceramics can be used as the material for the sphere 12 and the interval adjusting member 17.

  The spacing adjusting member 17 is formed of a cylinder having a diameter D1 smaller than the sphere 12, for example, as illustrated in FIG. Or the space | interval adjustment member 17 consists of a spherical body of the diameter D1 smaller than the spherical body 12, for example so that it may be illustrated by FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when a cylinder having a diameter D1 is used as the interval adjusting member 17, the arrangement pitch px of the molding surface 14 is changed without changing the diameter D0 of the sphere 12 by changing the diameter D1 of the interval adjusting member 17. The values of the array pitch py and the like (FIG. 6) can be arbitrarily set.

  The spacing adjusting member 17 may not be a sphere, but in the case of the cylinder illustrated in FIG. 7, for example, the processing error such as the cylindricality of the cylinder, the diameter of the cylinder, the flatness of the bottom surface, the perpendicularity of the bottom surface and the side surface, and the frame 11 There is a concern that many built-in errors are included.

  For this reason, if the sphericity and the dimension of the diameter D1 are finished with a predetermined accuracy, it is preferable to use a sphere that does not include a posture error at the time of assembly as the distance adjusting member 17 as illustrated in FIG. desirable.

  Also in this case, by changing the diameter of the spheres constituting the interval adjusting member 17, the values (FIG. 6) such as the arrangement pitch px and the arrangement pitch py of the molding surface 14 are changed without changing the diameter D0 of the sphere 12. Can be set arbitrarily.

  Although it is possible to use the lens array mold 10-1 for the molding process as in FIG. 6, the gap between the sphere 12 and the interval adjusting member 17 inside the sphere 12 is also similar to FIG. 3 described above. Alternatively, the plurality of spheres 12 and the interval adjusting member 17 may be coupled to each other by filling the filler 15 to further stabilize the arrangement state.

  That is, the melt is poured into the gap 13 as the filler 15. Glass, resin, and metal can be used as the melt, but glass was poured in this modification. Thereby, the positional relationship in the inside of the frame 11 of the spherical body 12 and the space | interval adjustment member 17 by the presence of the filler 15 becomes more stable.

  As illustrated in FIG. 9, a lens having a convex shape for forming a concave surface that uses the exposed surface of the sphere 12 from the filler 15 (frame 11) as the molding surface 14 after the melt of the filler 15 is cured. This is the array mold 10-1.

  Further, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a lens array mold having a concave shape for forming a convex surface whose concave and convex portions are reversed from the molding surface 14 by transferring the lens array mold 10-1 to glass or resin. 20-1 is obtained.

  A film (not shown) may be formed on the molding surface 14 of the lens array mold 10-1 or the molding surface 21 of the lens array mold 20-1 for the purpose of improving the mold release function or for the purpose of preventing oxidation. Good.

  As described above, in the case of this modification, the sphere 12 is not affected by the dimension such as the diameter D0, and the diameter D0 ( That is, even when the curvature radius of the molding surface 14 is constant, the lens array mold 10-1 and the lens array mold 20-1 having the desired arrangement pitch px and arrangement pitch py can be obtained in a short time and at low cost. Is possible.

Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the configuration exemplified in the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, the solid constituting the molding surface is not limited to a sphere, but may be a regular polyhedron, a polyhedron, a solid having an arbitrary external shape such as a cylinder, a prism, or the like having a convex portion or a concave portion forming a molding surface at one end. Can be used.

  Moreover, as a 2nd solid | solid which functions as a space | interval adjustment member, the thing of arbitrary shapes, such as a regular polyhedron and a polyhedron, can be used not only in a cylinder or a spherical body.

It is a top view which shows an example of a structure of the type | mold for lens arrays which is one embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the part of the line II-II in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the part of the line III-III in FIG. It is a side view which shows the external appearance of the type | mold for lens arrays which is one embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the lens array type | mold by which the unevenness | corrugation of the molding surface manufactured using the lens array type | mold which is one embodiment of this invention as a mother mold was reversed. It is a top view which shows an example of a structure of the type | mold for lens arrays which is a modification of one embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the part shown by line VII-VII in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the part shown by line VIII-VIII in FIG. It is a side view which shows the external appearance of the type | mold for lens arrays which is a modification of one embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the lens array type | mold by which the unevenness | corrugation of the molding surface manufactured using the lens array type | mold which is a modification of one Embodiment of this invention as a mother mold was reversed.

Explanation of symbols

10 Lens array mold 10-1 Lens array mold 11 Frame 12 Sphere (solid, first solid)
13 Cavity 14 Molding Surface 15 Filler (Coupling Member)
15a Crucible 17 Spacing adjustment member (second solid)
20 Lens array mold 20-1 Lens array mold 21 Molding surface D0 Diameter D1 of sphere 12 Diameter px of spacing adjusting member 17 Horizontal arrangement pitch py of sphere 12 (molding surface 14) Sphere 12 (molding surface 14) Vertical arrangement pitch

Claims (8)

A plurality of first solid bodies each having a molding surface;
A lens array mold comprising: at least one second solid body interposed between the first solid bodies and adjusting the positional relationship of the first solid body. The lens array mold according to claim 1,
The first solid is a sphere in which a part of the outer peripheral surface forms the molding surface,
The second solid body is a lens array mold formed of a sphere having a diameter different from that of the first solid body. The lens array mold according to claim 1,
The first solid is a sphere in which a part of the outer peripheral surface forms the molding surface,
The second solid body is a lens array mold formed of a cylinder having a diameter different from that of the first solid body. The lens array mold according to claim 1,
The lens array mold further includes a coupling member filled in a space around the first and second three-dimensional bodies. Preparing a plurality of first solid bodies each having a molding surface and at least one second solid body for adjusting the positional relationship of the first solid bodies;
And a step of arranging the first solid and the second solid with the second solid interposed between the first solids. In the manufacturing method of the type | mold for lens arrays of Claim 5 ,
A method for manufacturing a lens array mold, further comprising a step of filling a gap between the first solid bodies with a coupling member and integrating the plurality of first solid bodies and the second solid bodies. In the manufacturing method of the type | mold for lens arrays of Claim 5 ,
The first solid consists of a sphere,
The method for manufacturing a lens array mold, wherein the second solid is a sphere having a diameter different from that of the solid. In the manufacturing method of the type | mold for lens arrays of Claim 5 ,
A method for manufacturing a lens array mold, wherein the lens array mold is obtained by using the lens array mold as a mother mold and having another molding surface in which irregularities are reversed from the molding surface.