IP Library Granted Patent US 12699256
Granted Patent B2
US 12699256 · App. 18/256,263 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Infrared imaging lens and infrared camera

Inventors: Yoshimasa Matsushita (Otsu, JP); Fumio Sato (Otsu, JP); Nobuo Hori (Higashimatsuyama, JP)
Assignee: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
G02B13/008G02B13/0035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12699256
App. No.
18/256,263
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An infrared imaging lens ( 1 ) includes a plurality of lenses (L 1 to L 3 ) which are disposed in respective positions, the plurality of lenses each being made of glass having a refractive index of 2.8 to 4.0 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm, the infrared imaging lens having an image circle having a diameter which is 0.7 times to 1.3 times a focal length of the infrared imaging lens.

Claims (32)

1 . An infrared imaging lens, comprising a plurality of lenses which are disposed in respective positions,

the plurality of lenses each being made of glass having a refractive index of 2.8 to 4.0 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm, wherein

a first lens,

a second lens, and

a third lens are disposed in this order from an object side to an image surface side, the third lens has positive power and a meniscus shape that is convex to the image surface side, and

the infrared imaging lens has an image circle on an image surface, the image circle having a diameter which is 0.7 time to 1.3 times a focal length of the infrared imaging lens.

2 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has, in the image circle, a modulation transfer function of not less than 0.17 in a wavelength range of 7 μm to 14 μm at a spatial frequency of 41.7 cycles/mm.

3 . An infrared imaging lens, comprising a plurality of lenses which are disposed in respective positions,

the plurality of lenses each being made of glass having a refractive index of 2.8 to 4.0 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm,

the infrared imaging lens having, in the image circle, a modulation transfer function of not less than 0.17 in a wavelength range of 7 μm to 14 μm at a spatial frequency of 41.7 cycles/mm.

4 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first lens has positive power and a meniscus shape that is convex to the object side.

5 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 4 , wherein a focal length f1 of the first lens and a focal length f of the infrared imaging lens satisfy the following relational expression:

1.0 ≤f 1 /f≤ 2.9.

6 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 4 , wherein an effective diameter of an object-side surface of the first lens serves as an aperture of the infrared imaging lens.

7 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the second lens has positive power.

8 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 7 , wherein

the third lens has a highest power among the first lens, the second lens, and the third lens.

9 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the second lens has a meniscus shape that is convex to the image surface side.

10 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 4 , wherein at least one of an image surface-side surface of the second lens and an object-side surface of the third lens is a diffractive surface.

11 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 4 , wherein a focal length f3 of the third lens and a focal length f of the infrared imaging lens satisfy the following relational expression:

0.8 ≤f 3 /f≤ 1.2.

12 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has a half angle of view of 21° to 36°.

13 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has, in the image circle, a modulation transfer function of not less than 0.50 in a wavelength range of 7 μm to 14 μm at a spatial frequency of 20.85 cycles/mm.

14 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has a relative illuminance of not less than 40% on the image surface in the image circle.

15 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the glass is chalcogenide glass.

16 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the chalcogenide glass has an infrared absorption edge wavelength of not less than 18 μm at which the chalcogenide glass has a light transmittance of 20% measured at a thickness of 2 mm.

17 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has an F-number of 1.0 to 1.2.

18 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has a focal length of 7 mm to 12 mm.

19 . The infrared imaging lens as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging lens has a total lens length of not more than 30 mm.

20 . An infrared camera, comprising:

an infrared imaging lens recited in claim 1 ; and

an infrared image sensor.