WO2006132047A1

WO2006132047A1 - Optical element and optical apparatus with the same

Info

Publication number: WO2006132047A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/309394
Authority: WO
Inventors: Minoru Onoda; Yoshiyuki Shimizu; Tomokazu Tokunaga
Original assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-06-07
Filing date: 2006-05-10
Publication date: 2006-12-14

Abstract

An optical element that can be easily installed at high positional accuracy in an optical apparatus. The optical element (1) is constructed such that its upper surface (5) and lower surface (6) form parts of the circumferential surface of a circular cylinder. The optical element (1) is fitted into and fixed to a holder member (11), in which a fitting hole (11c) into which the circular cylinder can be inserted is formed, such that the upper surface (5) and the lower surface (6) are in contact with the fitting hole (11c). In a state where the optical element (1) is fitted in the fitting hole (11c), the optical element (1) is rotatable about an axis A. This enables the optical element (1) to be fixed to the holder member (11) after tilt adjustment of a second side surface (3) and a third side surface (4) is performed in a very small order of magnitude.

Description

Specification

Optical element and optical device provided with the same

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical element and an optical device including the same.

Background art

Conventionally, prisms have been widely used as means for refracting the optical axis (for example, Patent Document 1). For example, in the case of a triangular prism, in order to attach and fix with high positional accuracy, it is usually attached so that the three surfaces come into contact with the folder member of the optical device (ie, are supported at three points).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-185401 —Problem to be Solved— When a prismatic prism is loaded and fixed in an optical device so that the three surfaces are in contact with the folder member, the three surfaces of the prism are fixed. As the prism contacts the folder member, the position of the prism is automatically determined, and the prism cannot be displaced or rotated after the prism is inserted. That is, it is difficult to adjust the position and angle of the prism after the prism is inserted, and the positioning accuracy of the prism is determined solely by the shape accuracy of the prism and the shape accuracy of the folder member. Therefore, in order to attach the prism with high positional accuracy, it is necessary to produce not only the prism but also a folder member for fixing the prism with high shape accuracy. However, from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost, ease of manufacturing, etc., the folder member is usually made of resin, and it is difficult to manufacture it with high shape accuracy that can realize high optical performance. In addition, manufacturing costs will increase if folder members are made with high shape accuracy. In other words, since it is difficult to mount the conventional prism with high positional accuracy, it is difficult to obtain an optical device having high optical performance easily and inexpensively by using the conventional prism! /, There is a problem.

[0003] The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to provide an optical element that can be easily attached to an optical device with high positional accuracy. .

[0004] While the problem to be solved by the present invention and the object of the present invention have been described by taking a prism as an example, the above problem and object are not limited to other optical elements such as lenses and mirrors. In general, it is common.

Disclosure of the invention

In order to achieve the above object, an optical element according to the present invention is a polygonal columnar optical element that is attached so that an upper surface and a lower surface are in contact with an optical device, and the upper surface and the lower surface are cylindrical peripheral surfaces. It is formed so as to constitute a part of!

[0006] Further, the optical device according to the present invention can be inserted into a polygonal columnar optical element formed such that the upper surface and the lower surface constitute a part of the circumferential surface of the cylinder, and the upper surface and A folder member having a fitting hole into which the optical element is fitted and inserted so that the lower surface is in contact is provided.

Brief Description of Drawings

1 is a diagram illustrating an optical configuration of an imaging apparatus 10. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical element 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a folder member 11 to which an optical element 1 is attached.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion cut out along a cutting line V—V in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an optical configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a modification.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that, here, an optical apparatus that implements the present invention will be described by taking the imaging apparatus 10 as an example. However, in the present invention, the optical apparatus is not limited to the imaging apparatus, for example, an image projection apparatus, a light irradiation It may be a device or the like.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an optical configuration of an imaging apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

The imaging device 10 includes a first lens group 13, a second lens group 14, a third lens group 15, and an imaging element 16 arranged on the optical axis AX in this order from the image side. And. The lens groups 13 to 15 are lens groups for forming an image on the image sensor 16. The image sensor 16 is composed of, for example, ί, CCD (charge coupled device), OMS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor), and the like, and functions to convert an optical image formed by the lens groups 13 to 15 into electrical data. Have Data converted into electrical data by the image sensor 16 The data is recorded on a recording medium (memory or the like) (not shown) or output to another device (not shown) according to the setting.

In this embodiment, the imaging device 10 in which three lens groups 13 to 15 are arranged on the optical axis AX will be described as an example. However, the lens group for forming an image on the imaging device 16 is described. May be one or two or more than four. Further, at least one of the lens groups for forming an image on the image sensor 16 is provided so as to be displaceable on the optical axis AX, and may be configured to be in focus and Z or variable in magnification.

In the present embodiment, an optical element 1 for refracting the optical axis AX between the first lens group 13 and the second lens group 14, and a lens positioned on the image side of the optical element 1 12 and V are arranged. Thus, by providing the optical element 1 and refracting the optical axis AX, the thickness in the direction of the optical axis AX can be suppressed, and a relatively small imaging device 10 can be realized.

The optical element 1 and the lens 12 are attached to a folder member 11 made of, for example, a resin. Hereinafter, the configuration of the optical element 1 and the folder member 11 that fixes the optical element 1 in the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical element 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the folder member 11 to which the optical element 1 is attached. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the portion taken along the section line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion cut out along the cut line VV in FIG.

First, the shape of the optical element 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The optical element 1 is a prism having a prism shape (specifically, a triangular prism shape) in which the first side surface 2, the second side surface 3, and the third side surface 4 are optical function surfaces (light transmission surface or light reflection surface). is there. Specifically, the second side surface 3 and the first side surface 2 are configured as a light transmitting surface (light incident surface or light emitting surface), and the third side surface 4 is configured as a light reflecting surface. The light incident from the second side surface 3 is reflected by the third side surface 4 and is emitted from the first side surface 2.

Here, each of the first side surface 2, the second side surface 3, and the third side surface 4 has an optical power that may be a surface that does not have optical power (for example, a plane). It may be a surface (a refracting surface such as a spherical surface, an aspherical surface, a free-form surface, or a diffractive surface). In particular, it is preferable that at least one of the first side surface 2 and the second side surface 3 which are light transmitting surfaces is a surface having optical power. According to this configuration, the optical element 1 is imaged in addition to the function of refracting the optical axis AX. Functions and the like can be further provided. Therefore, the number of constituent lenses can be reduced.

Thus, the imaging device 10 can be further reduced in size. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first side surface 2 is a concave aspherical surface, and the second side surface 3 and the third side surface 4 are flat surfaces.

In the present embodiment, the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 of the optical element 1 are cylindrical (specifically, the axis A (see FIG. 2) extending in the normal direction on the optical axis AX of the first side surface 2 is the center. The optical element 1 is attached to the folder member 11 so that the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 thereof are in contact with each other. The folder member 11 is a member for supporting and fixing the optical element 1, and is constituted by a plate-like body 11a and a rib. Each of the plate-like bodies 11a and 1 lb has a recess, and the plate-like bodies 1 la and 1 lb are arranged so that the recesses face each other. The plate-like body 11a and the concave portion of the rib ib form a fitting hole 11c into which the above-described upper surface 5 and lower surface 6 constitute a portion (hereinafter referred to as the column C). ing. Then, the optical element 1 is fitted and inserted and fixed in the fitting hole 11c so that the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 are in contact with the folder member 11. Therefore, the optical element 1 as described below can be attached with high positional accuracy. As a result, the imaging device 10 having high optical performance can be realized.

That is, as described above, the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 are formed so as to constitute a part of the cylinder C, and the fitting hole 1 lc into which the cylindrical member can be inserted (fitted) into the folder member 11. Is formed. For this reason, in a state where the optical element 1 is fitted and inserted into the fitting hole 11c, the optical element 1 can rotate about the axis A. Therefore, the tilt adjustment of the second side surface 3 and the third side surface 4 with respect to the Y-axis and Z-axis (see Fig. 3) of the optical element 1 with the optical element 1 fitted in the fitting hole 11c (see FIG. 3) The optical element 1 can be fixed to the folder member 11 after the tilt adjustment is performed on a very small order (for example, 1 'order). Therefore, regardless of the shape accuracy of the folder member 11, the optical element 1 can be easily attached to the imaging device 10 with high positional accuracy. As a result, the imaging device 10 having high optical performance can be realized.

[0019] Further, the optical element 1 and other members of the imaging device 10 over time due to heat, external stress, or the like.

Even if the positional relationship with the lens (eg, the lens 12) is out of order, it can be easily maintained.

[0020] It should be noted that the optical element 1 is fixed to the folder member 11 during manufacturing or maintenance. The law is not limited at all. For example, the optical element 1 and the folder member 11 may be fixed using a force shim adhesive or an energy curing resin (for example, an ultraviolet curing resin, a thermosetting resin, etc.).

In the present embodiment, the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 are formed so as to constitute a part of a cylinder whose central axis is the axis A extending in the direction of the central force normal to the first side surface 2! However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 may be formed so as to constitute a part of a circumferential surface of a cylinder whose central axis is an axis extending in the normal direction of the third side surface 4.

In the first embodiment, the material of the optical element 1 is not particularly limited. The optical element 1 is, for example, a material that substantially has a glass force or a material that is substantially made of resin. May be. Among them, glass is excellent in homogeneity, light transmission, durability, weather resistance, etc., and is easy to process with relatively high precision, so the optical element 1 is also substantially glassy. It is preferable. The optical element 1 made of glass is preferably formed by force press molding (specifically heat press molding) that can be produced by, for example, polishing. According to the press molding, the optical element 1 can be produced easily and inexpensively with high work efficiency.

In the present embodiment, the example in which the optical element 1 has a triangular prism shape has been described. However, the optical element 1 may have a quadrangular prism shape, a pentagonal prism shape, a hexagonal prism shape, or the like. In addition, the corners and ridges may be chamfered or rounded.

In the above-described embodiment, the force optical element 1 described by taking the case where the optical element 1 is a prism as an example has the third side surface 4 as a light reflecting surface as shown in FIG. 6, for example. It may be a configured mirror. Even in this case, since the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 are formed so as to constitute a part of the circumferential surface of the cylinder, the optical axis AX of the third side surface 4 as the light reflecting surface after the optical element 1 is inserted. The optical element 1 can be attached with high positional accuracy. As a result, a high-quality imaging device can be realized.

[0025] As described above, the present invention is preferred, and the disclosed invention has been modified in a number of ways by the cultivating skill that has been described by taking the embodiment as an example. It is clear to take Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Industrial applicability

As described above, the present invention is useful for optical devices such as an imaging device (digital still camera (DSC), digital video camera (DVC), etc.) and a light emitting device.

Claims

The scope of the claims

A polygonal columnar optical element attached so that the upper surface and the lower surface are in contact with the optical device,

The optical element in which the upper surface and the lower surface are formed so as to constitute a part of a circumferential surface of a cylinder. In the optical element according to claim 1,

A mirror whose one side is configured as a light reflecting surface, or two of the three side surfaces are configured as a light transmitting surface and the other surface is one of the light transmitting surfaces. An optical element which is a prism configured on a light reflecting surface that reflects the incident light so as to be emitted from one side.

The optical element according to claim 2,

An optical element in which at least one of the light transmission surfaces has optical power.

In the optical element according to claim 1,

An optical element in which at least one of the pair of side surfaces is formed in a plane.

The upper and lower surfaces are formed to form part of the cylindrical surface! A polygonal column of optical elements

A folder member formed with a fitting hole into which the cylinder can be inserted and the optical element is fitted and inserted so that the upper surface and the lower surface are in contact with each other;

An optical device.