IP Library Granted Patent US 7,746,573
Granted Patent B2
US 7,746,573 · App. 12/121,125 · Granted Jun 29, 2010

Bonded optical element and manufacturing method thereof

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,746,573
App. No.
12/121,125
Granted
Jun 29, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A second optical element is bonded to a first optical element by forming the second optical element by pressing a second optical element material against the first optical element under a condition free from restriction to the second optical element material in the direction orthogonal to a direction in which the second optical element material is pressed.

Claims (23)

1. A bonded optical element comprising a first optical element and a second optical element bonded to each other by forming the second optical element by heating and pressing against the first optical element a second optical element material, wherein

the second optical element is formed by pressing the second optical element material against the first optical element under a condition free from restriction to the second optical element material in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the second optical element material is pressed, and

the first and second optical elements are made of glass materials.

2. The bonded optical element of claim 1 , wherein

the second optical element material is pressed against the first optical element under the condition free from restriction to the second optical element material in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the second optical element material is pressed to cause the second optical element to have a curved outer peripheral face in a substantially curved form in section.

3. The bonded optical element of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third optical element bonded to the first or second optical element.

4. The bonded optical element of claim 1 , wherein

at least one of the optical elements is centered after the optical elements are bonded to each other.

5. The bonded optical element of claim 1 , wherein

a lens face part of a bonded face of the first optical element is aspheric.

6. A method for manufacturing a bonded optical element in which a first optical element and a second optical element are bonded to each other by forming the second optical element by heating and pressing against the first optical element a second optical element material, the method comprising the step of:

forming the second optical element by pressing the second optical element material against the first optical element under a condition free from restriction to the second optical element material in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the second optical element material is pressed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the second optical element is formed by pressing the second optical element material against the first optical element under the condition free from restriction to the second optical element material in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the second optical element material is pressed to cause the second optical element to have a curved outer peripheral face in a substantially curved form in section.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:

bonding a third optical element to the first or second optical element.

9. The method of claim 6 , comprising the step of:

preparing glass materials as the optical element and the optical element material.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:

centering at least one of the optical elements after the optical elements are bonded to each other.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein

a lens face part of a bonded face of the first optical element is aspheric.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 13, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021832/0197 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2008
From: SUZUKI, TETSUYA; TOKUNAGA, TOMOKAZU
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021549/0104 →