TWI856819B - Optical focus adjustment module and head mounted electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

An optical focus module includes: a first lens barrel including a straight groove and a protrusion; a second lens barrel disposed inside the first lens barrel, and including a convex rib; an elastic element, wherein one end of the elastic element is fixed on a side of the second lens barrel close to the eye side, and the other end of the elastic element contacts with the first lens barrel; and an operating ring disposed outside the first lens barrel, and including an oblique block, wherein the oblique block has an oblique side, the oblique side is stacked on the straight groove in the radial direction, the rib passes through the straight groove and contacts with the oblique side; wherein when the operating ring is rotated, the oblique side of the oblique block or the elastic element make the convex rib of the second lens barrel move along the corresponding straight groove and oblique groove.

Description

Optical zoom module and head-mounted electronic device

The present invention relates to an optical zoom module, and in particular to a head-mounted electronic device including an optical zoom module.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer simulation system that can create and experience a virtual world. It can use computers to generate an interactive analog environment that integrates multi-source information, allowing users to immerse themselves in the environment. With the continuous development of technology, VR is increasingly being used in industries and fields including medicine, entertainment, industrial simulation, aerospace, education, etc.

As one of the important components of VR technology, head mounted devices (HMD) are gradually becoming popular in life. HMD can expand the level of scientific three-dimensional visualization and enhance the user-computer interaction performance. With the application of VR technology in many fields, HMD has also received more and more attention.

Currently, head-mounted electronic devices can be used with glasses or without eyesight, so the design of the head-mounted electronic device will consider reserving space for glasses. However, if a myopic user wears glasses and then uses the head-mounted electronic device, it may still compress the user's glasses and cause discomfort or damage the glasses. If a myopic user chooses not to wear glasses and directly uses the head-mounted electronic device, the user will not be able to see the image clearly, or the discomfort caused by the focal length problem will make the user resist the head-mounted electronic device.

Therefore, there is a need to provide an optical zoom module and a head-mounted electronic device that can solve the aforementioned problems.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical zoom module, wherein the oblique block of the operating ring only needs to be processed with one oblique side; furthermore, the oblique side or elastic element of the oblique block can move the second lens unit disposed in the second lens barrel, thereby adjusting the imaging position of the optical zoom module.

According to the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides an optical zoom module, which has a central axis and a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis, and includes: a first lens barrel, which surrounds the central axis and includes a first barrel body and a straight groove, wherein the straight groove passes through the first barrel body; a second lens barrel, which surrounds the central axis and is disposed in the first lens barrel, and includes a second barrel body and a rib, wherein the rib is located on an outer ring surface of the second barrel body; an elastic element, one end of which is fixed to a side of the second lens barrel near the eye side, and the elastic element .... The other end abuts the first lens barrel; and an operating ring, surrounding the central axis, disposed outside the first lens barrel, and comprising a ring body and an inclined block, wherein the inclined block is located on an inner ring surface of the ring body, the inclined block has an inclined side edge, the inclined side edge and the straight groove are stacked along the radial direction, and the rib passes through the straight groove and contacts the inclined side edge; wherein when the operating ring is rotated, the inclined side edge of the inclined block or the elastic element causes the rib of the second lens barrel to move along the corresponding straight groove and the inclined side edge.

The present invention further provides a head-mounted electronic device, comprising: an outer shell; the optical zoom module disposed in the outer shell; and a control unit disposed in the outer shell.

According to the optical zoom module of the present invention, the oblique block of the operating ring only needs to process one oblique side, which can reduce the number of corrections of the side of the oblique block, reduce the manufacturing mold processing cost and do not affect the overall refractive index adjustment function. Furthermore, when the operating ring is rotated, the oblique side of the oblique block or the elastic element can make the rib of the second lens barrel move along the corresponding straight groove and the oblique side, and can make the second lens unit disposed in the second lens barrel also move parallel to the central axis direction, so that the imaging position of the optical zoom module can be adjusted, and it is easy for the user to adjust the focal length of the optical zoom module.

1: Optical zoom module

10a:Central axis

10b: radial

11: Second lens

110: Second cylinder

111: ribs

112: Outer ring surface

12: First lens

121: Straight groove

122: First cylinder

123: Bump

124: Outer ring surface

13: Operation ring

131: Oblique block

1310: Extension direction

1310’: Extension direction

1311: oblique to the side

1312: Horizontal side

132: Limiting groove

1320: Slip groove inner wall

1321: First end

1322: Second end

133: Inner ring surface

134: Ring

14: Second lens unit

141:Optical lens

15: First lens unit

151:Optical lens

16: Damping oil

17: Indicator cover

181: Image source

19: Elastic element

191: End

192: End

2: Head-mounted electronic devices

20: Shell

22: Control unit

E1: Left eye

E2: Right eye

P1: First vertical position

P2: Second vertical position

S1: Side of the eye

S2: Image source side

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exploded three-dimensional optical zoom module of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an optical zoom module of an embodiment of the present invention, showing that the second lens unit disposed in the second lens barrel moves from the first vertical position to the second vertical position.

FIG. 3a is a schematic side view of an optical zoom module assembly of an embodiment of the present invention, showing that the rib of the second lens barrel moves from the first vertical position to the second vertical position.

FIG3b is a schematic side view of an optical zoom module assembly of another embodiment of the present invention, showing that the rib of the second lens barrel moves from the first vertical position to the second vertical position.

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a combination of the first lens barrel, the second lens barrel and the operating ring of an optical zoom module of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG5 is a partial three-dimensional schematic diagram of the operating ring of the optical zoom module of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG6 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first lens barrel of the optical zoom module of one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a head-mounted electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and characteristics of the present invention more clearly understood, the relevant embodiments of the present invention are described in detail as follows with the help of drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical zoom module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an assembled cross-sectional view of an optical zoom module according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing that a second lens unit disposed in a second lens barrel moves from a first vertical position to a second vertical position. FIG. 3a is an assembled side view of an optical zoom module according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing that a rib of the second lens barrel moves from a first vertical position to a second vertical position. Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3a. The optical zoom module 1 has a central axis 10a, an eye side S1 and an image source side S2, and includes: a first lens barrel 12, a first lens unit 15, a second lens barrel 11, a second lens unit 14, an elastic element 19 and an operating ring 13.

The first lens barrel 12 (which may be referred to as a fixed barrel) surrounds the central axis 10a and includes a first barrel 122, a straight groove 121 and a protrusion 123 (protrusion). The straight direction of the straight groove 121 refers to the direction in which the groove extends parallel to the central axis 10a. The first lens barrel 12 may be made of a plastic material. The straight groove 121 is parallel to the central axis 10a and penetrates the first barrel 122, and the protrusion 123 (which may be referred to as a limiting protrusion) is located on the outer annular surface 124 of the first barrel 122. The first lens unit 15 is disposed in the first lens barrel 12. The first lens unit 15 includes an optical lens 151. In this embodiment, the total number of the optical lens 151 is 1, but it is not limited thereto. The optical lens 151 can be made of plastic or glass.

The second lens barrel 11 (which may be called a straight-in barrel) surrounds the central axis 10a and is disposed in the first lens barrel 12. The second lens barrel 11 includes a second barrel body 110 and a rib 111. The rib 111 is located on the outer annular surface 112 of the second barrel body 110. The second lens barrel 11 may be made of a plastic material. The second lens unit 14 is disposed in the second lens barrel 11. The second lens unit 14 includes an optical lens 141. In this embodiment, the total number of optical lenses 141 is 1, but it is not limited thereto. The optical lens 141 may be made of a plastic or glass material.

The elastic element 19 surrounds the central axis 10a and is disposed between the first lens barrel 12 and the second lens barrel 11 in the direction of the central axis 10a, wherein one end 191 of the elastic element 19 in the direction of the central axis 10a contacts one side of the first lens barrel 12 close to the eye side S1, and the other end 192 of the elastic element 19 in the direction of the central axis 10a contacts the second lens barrel 11. In this embodiment, the elastic element 19 is disposed in the first lens barrel 12, and the elastic element 19 can be a helical spring.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a combination of a first lens barrel, a second lens barrel and an operating ring of an optical zoom module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 a and FIG. 4 , the operating ring 13 surrounds the central axis 10 a, is disposed outside the first lens barrel 12, and includes a ring body 134, an inclined block 131 and a limit groove 132. The operating ring 13 can be made of plastic material. The inclined block 131 and the limit groove 132 are both located on the inner ring surface 133 of the ring body 134. The limit groove 132 does not penetrate the ring body 134, but is not limited thereto. The inclined block 131 has an inclined side 1311, which is inclined to the central axis 10a. The inclination of the inclined side 1311 refers to the direction in which the side extends along the inner ring surface 133 at a specific slope. In this embodiment, the extension direction 1310 of the inclined side 1311 is counterclockwise (as viewed from the eye side S1). The limiting sliding groove 132 includes a first tail end 1321 and a second tail end 1322 opposite to each other, wherein the first tail end 1321 can be adjacent to the rib 111. The oblique side 1311 of the oblique block 131 and the vertical groove 121 of the first lens barrel 12 are stacked along the radial direction 10b (the radial direction 10b is perpendicular to the central axis 10a). The rib 111 passes through the vertical groove 121 and contacts the oblique side 1311, and the convex block 123 is located in the limiting sliding groove 132.

FIG5 is a partial three-dimensional schematic diagram of the operating ring of the optical zoom module of one embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to FIG5 and FIG1. In another embodiment, the oblique block 131 of the operating ring 13 is convexly disposed on the inner ring surface 133, and may have a transverse side 1312 adjacent to the protrusion 123 of the first lens barrel 12. The transverse side 1312 may be used as a groove inner wall 1320 of the limit groove 132, and any tangent line of the arc-shaped extension direction of the limit groove 132 is perpendicular to the central axis 10a.

According to the optical zoom module 1 of the present invention, the oblique block 131 of the operating ring 13 only needs to process one oblique side 1311, which can reduce the number of corrections of the side of the oblique block 131, thereby reducing the manufacturing mold processing cost without affecting the overall refractive index adjustment function. Furthermore, when the operating ring 13 is rotated, the oblique side 1311 of the oblique block 131 or the elastic element 19 can cause the rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 to move along the corresponding straight groove 121 and the oblique side 1311, and can cause the second lens unit 14 disposed in the second lens barrel 11 to also move parallel to the central axis 10a, so that the imaging position of the optical zoom module 1 can be adjusted, making it easy for the user to adjust the focal length of the optical zoom module 1. In addition, when the operating ring 13 is rotated to move the second lens unit 14 (i.e., to adjust the imaging position of the optical zoom module 1), the limit sliding groove 132 will also be limited by the protrusion 123 and move within a limited range. In this way, the operating ring 13 can be limited to rotate within a limited range, thereby limiting the limited movement of the rib 111 within the straight groove 121 and on the oblique side 1311, thereby preventing the rib 111 from accidentally escaping from the straight groove 121 and the oblique side 1311, or preventing the rib 111 from hitting the rear end of the straight groove 121. During assembly, the operating ring 13 is positioned by the protrusion 123, and the protruding rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 is precisely set in the vertical groove 121 and on the oblique side 1311, which can avoid the user's uncomfortable feeling when rotating the operating ring 13, thereby improving the assembly accuracy of the optical zoom module 1.

In detail, please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3a again. The vertical groove 121 of the first lens barrel 12 is parallel to the central axis 10a and includes a first vertical position P1 and a second vertical position P2 opposite to each other, wherein the first vertical position P1 is adjacent to the image source side S2, and the second vertical position P2 is adjacent to the eye side S1. When the operating ring 13 is rotated along a rotation direction (for example, the rotation direction is counterclockwise when viewed from the eye side S1), a force (for example, a contact force) of the oblique side 1311 can cause the rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 to move from the first straight position P1 to the second straight position P2 along the corresponding straight groove 121 and the oblique side 1311, and at the same time, the limiting groove 132 also moves relative to the protrusion 123 so that the protrusion 123 changes from a position adjacent to the first tail end 1321 to a position adjacent to the second tail end 1322, so as to adjust the imaging position of the optical zoom module 1 to the first imaging position. When the operating ring 13 is rotated in another rotation direction (for example, the other rotation direction is clockwise when viewed from the eye side S1), a force (for example, elastic force) of the elastic element 19 can cause the rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 to move from the second straight position P2 to the first straight position P1 along the corresponding straight groove 121 and the oblique side 1311, and at the same time, the limit sliding groove 132 also moves relative to the convex block 123 so that the convex block 123 changes from a position adjacent to the second tail end 1322 to a position adjacent to the first tail end 1321, so as to adjust the imaging position of the optical zoom module 1 to the second imaging position.

Please refer to FIG. 3b. On the contrary, in another embodiment, the extending direction 1310′ of the oblique side 1311 of the operating ring 13 is in the clockwise direction (as viewed from the eye side S1). When the operating ring 13 is rotated in a rotation direction (for example, as viewed from the eye side S1, the rotation direction is in the clockwise direction), a force (for example, a contact force) of the oblique side 1311 is The rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 can be moved from the first straight position P1 to the second straight position P2 along the corresponding straight groove 121 and the oblique side 1311, and at the same time, the limiting groove 132 also moves relative to the protrusion 123 so that the protrusion 123 changes from a position adjacent to the first tail end 1321 to a position adjacent to the second tail end 1322. When the operating ring 13 is rotated in another rotation direction (for example, the other rotation direction is counterclockwise when viewed from the eye side S1), a force (for example, elastic force) of the elastic element 19 can cause the rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 to move from the second straight position P2 to the first straight position P1 along the corresponding straight groove 121 and the oblique side 1311, and at the same time, the limit sliding groove 132 also moves relative to the protrusion 123, so that the protrusion 123 changes from a position adjacent to the second tail end 1322 to a position adjacent to the first tail end 1321.

FIG6 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first lens barrel of the optical zoom module of an embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to FIG3a, FIG5 and FIG6, when the operating ring 13 rotates and the protrusion 123 contacts the first end 1321 of the limit groove 132 to the second end 1322, the operating ring 13 rotates around the central axis 10a to a maximum angle, and the maximum angle can be between 60 and 120 degrees according to the zoom and the size requirements of the optical zoom module. For example, when the maximum rotation angle of the optical zoom module is designed to be 60 degrees, and the operating ring 13 rotates 60 degrees from the initial position, the corresponding rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 can be moved from the first straight position P1 to the second straight position P2; for another example, when the maximum rotation angle of the optical zoom module is designed to be 120 degrees, and the operating ring 13 rotates 120 degrees from the initial position, the corresponding rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 can be moved from the first straight position P1 to the second straight position P2.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3a again. In this embodiment, the number of the ribs 111, the number of the vertical grooves 121, and the number of the oblique blocks 131 are three. Since the number of the ribs 111, the number of the vertical grooves 121, and the number of the oblique blocks 131 are three, each of the ribs 111 can move more smoothly along the corresponding vertical grooves 121 and the oblique side edges 1311 of each oblique block 131. The number of the limiting sliding grooves 132 and the number of the protrusions 123 are three. Since the number of the limit grooves 132 and the number of the protrusions 123 are three respectively, each of the limit grooves 132 can move more smoothly relative to each of the protrusions 123.

Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3a again. The optical zoom module 1 further includes an image source 181 (such as a liquid crystal display, LCD, but not limited thereto). The image source 181 is disposed on one side of the first lens barrel 12 adjacent to the image source side S2. When the operating ring 13 is rotated, the oblique side edge 1311 of the oblique block 131 or the elastic element 19 causes the rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 to move along the corresponding straight groove 121 and the oblique side edge 1311, so that the second lens unit 14 disposed in the second lens barrel 11 moves, thereby adjusting the distance between the second lens unit 14 and the image source 181, that is, adjusting the imaging position of the optical zoom module 1.

Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3a1 again. The present invention can utilize the damping oil 16 between the first lens barrel 12 and the operating ring to produce a damping effect on the operating ring 13, so that the optical zoom module 1 has operational stability; and damping oil is provided between the rib 111 of the second lens barrel 11 and the vertical groove 121 of the first lens barrel 12, so that the second lens barrel 11 has moving stability.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 again. The optical zoom module 1 further includes an indicator cover 17, which is disposed on one side of the first lens barrel 12 close to the eye side S1 and can display the rotation scale of the operation ring 13, that is, multiple vertical positions of the first lens unit 14 (for example, Figure 2 has shown the first vertical position P1 and the second vertical position P2 of the first lens unit, but is not limited thereto). This allows myopic users to quickly operate and use multiple imaging positions to compensate for myopia.

FIG7 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a head-mounted electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The head-mounted electronic device 2 includes a housing 20, the optical zoom module 1, and a control unit 22. The optical zoom module 1 is disposed in the housing 20. The control unit 22 is disposed in the housing 20 and is electrically connected to the optical zoom module 1. The control unit 22 may be a general purpose processor, a microprocessor (MCU), an application processor (AP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processor (GPU), or a holographic processing unit (HPU), or any combination of the above processors, and may include various circuit logics to provide data and image processing and calculation functions, and transmit frame data (such as data representing text messages, graphics, or images) to the image source (such as a display) of the optical zoom module 1. The head-mounted electronic device 2 includes two optical zoom modules 1, which correspond to the left eye E1 and the right eye E2 respectively, so that the imaging position of the image source for the left eye E1 or the right eye E2 can be adjusted independently, that is, the appropriate myopia degree can be compensated independently for the left eye E1 or the right eye E2.

The optical zoom module 1 provided by the present invention can be applied to the zoom optical system according to the visual requirements, and can be applied in many aspects to electronic imaging systems such as 3D (three-dimensional) image capture, virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) wearable displays, game consoles, monitor cameras, digital cameras, mobile devices, digital tablets, home electronic devices or car photography.

In summary, the above only records the preferred implementation methods or examples of the technical means adopted by the present invention to solve the problem, and is not used to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. That is, all equivalent changes and modifications that are consistent with the scope of the patent application of the present invention or made according to the scope of the patent of the present invention are covered by the scope of the patent of the present invention.

1: Optical zoom module

10a:Central axis

10b: radial

11: Second lens

110: Second cylinder

111: ribs

112: Outer ring surface

12: First lens

121: Straight groove

122: First cylinder

123: Bump

124: Outer ring surface

13: Operation ring

131: Oblique block

1311: oblique to the side

133: Inner ring surface

134: Ring

14: Second lens unit

141:Optical lens

15: First lens unit

151:Optical lens

17: Indicator cover

19: Elastic element

191: End

192: End

Claims (10)

An optical zoom module has a central axis and a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis, and includes: a first lens barrel, surrounding the central axis, and including a first barrel body and a straight groove, wherein the straight groove is parallel to the central axis and passes through the first barrel body; a second lens barrel, surrounding the central axis, disposed in the first lens barrel, and including a second barrel body and a rib, wherein the rib is located on an outer ring surface of the second barrel body; an elastic element, surrounding the central axis, and disposed between the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel in the direction of the central axis, wherein one end of the elastic element in the direction of the central axis abuts against the first lens barrel near the eye side. and an operating ring, which surrounds the central axis and is disposed outside the first lens barrel and includes a ring body and an inclined block, wherein the inclined block is located on an inner ring surface of the ring body and has an inclined side edge, and the inclined side edge is inclined. The oblique side and the straight groove are stacked along the radial direction at an angle to the central axis, and the rib passes through the straight groove and contacts the oblique side; when the operating ring is rotated, the oblique side of the oblique block or the elastic element causes the rib of the second lens barrel to move along the corresponding straight groove and the oblique side. The optical zoom module as described in claim 1, wherein: the first lens barrel further includes a protrusion, and the protrusion is located on an outer ring surface of the first barrel; the operating ring further includes at least one limit sliding groove, the limit sliding groove is located on an inner ring surface of the ring body, and the protrusion is located in the limit sliding groove; and when the oblique side edge of the oblique block or the elastic element causes the rib of the second lens barrel to move along the corresponding straight groove and the oblique side edge, the limit sliding groove also moves relative to the protrusion. As described in claim 2, the oblique block of the operating ring is convexly disposed on the inner ring surface and has a transverse side adjacent to the convex block of the first lens barrel, the transverse side is used as an inner wall of the limit sliding groove, and any tangent line of the arc-shaped extension direction of the limit sliding groove is perpendicular to the central axis. The optical zoom module as described in claim 2, wherein the vertical groove is parallel to the central axis and includes a first vertical position and a second vertical position opposite to each other, the first vertical position is adjacent to an image source side, the limit sliding groove includes a first tail end and a second tail end opposite to each other, the first tail end is adjacent to the convex rib, when the operating ring is rotated along a rotation direction, a force of the oblique side edge causes the convex rib of the second lens barrel to move from the first vertical position to the second vertical position along the corresponding vertical groove and the oblique side edge, At the same time, the limit sliding groove also moves relative to the protrusion so that the protrusion changes from a position adjacent to the first tail end to a position adjacent to the second tail end; and, when the operating ring is rotated along another rotation direction, a force of the elastic element causes the protruding rib of the second lens barrel to move from the second straight position to the first straight position along the corresponding straight groove and the oblique side, and at the same time, the limit sliding groove also moves relative to the protrusion so that the protrusion changes from a position adjacent to the second tail end side to a position adjacent to the first tail end side. The optical zoom module as described in claim 4 further includes: a first lens unit disposed in the first lens barrel; and a second lens unit disposed in the second lens barrel. The optical zoom module as described in claim 5 further includes an image source disposed on a side of the first lens barrel adjacent to the image source, wherein the second lens unit disposed in the second lens barrel is moved from the first vertical position to the second vertical position, thereby adjusting the distance between the second lens unit and the image source. The optical zoom module as described in claim 2, wherein the number of the ribs, the number of the vertical grooves, and the number of the oblique blocks are three respectively, and the number of the limit sliding grooves and the number of the protrusions are three respectively. As in the optical zoom module described in claim 4, when the operating ring rotates and the bump changes from contacting the first end of the limit sliding groove to contacting the second end, the operating ring rotates around the central axis to a maximum angle, and the maximum rotation angle is between 60 and 120 degrees. An optical zoom module as described in claim 1, wherein the limit sliding groove does not penetrate the ring. A head-mounted electronic device comprises: a housing; an optical zoom module as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, disposed in the housing; and a control unit, disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the optical zoom module.