IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,455,429
Granted Patent B2
US 12,455,429 · App. 17/375,186 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Lens unit

Inventors: Yasuo Tsuruoka (Nagano, JP); Akinori Yamamoto (Nagano, JP); Toshio Shirotori (Nagano, JP); Katsumi Umeda (Osaka, JP); Masanori Tanikawa (Osaka, JP); Shinya Okada (Osaka, JP)
Assignees: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION; PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
G02B7/028G02B7/021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,455,429
App. No.
17/375,186
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lens unit 1 includes a plurality of lenses aligned in a row along an optical axis L and a lens holder 2 . A first lens L 1 located the closest to an object-side La includes an object-side lens surface 11 , an image-side lens surface 12 , and an image-side flange surface 13 . A first housing portion 4 accommodating the first lens L 1 in the lens holder 2 includes a regulation portion 42 regulating a position of the first lens L 1 in the optical axis L direction. The regulation portion 42 includes a lens seating surface 40 in contact with the first lens L 1 . The image-side flange surface 13 of the first lens L 1 includes an outer peripheral region 13 A in contact with the lens seating surface 40 of the regulation portion 42 and an inner peripheral region 13 B in which a flexible printed circuit board 8 is disposed.

Claims (71)

1. A lens unit comprising:

a first lens located the closest to an object side;

a second lens disposed on an image side with respect to the first lens;

a lens holder including a first housing portion that accommodates the first lens and a second housing portion that accommodates the second lens; and

a flexible printed circuit board including a heater,

wherein the first lens includes an object-side lens surface, an image-side lens surface, and an image-side flange surface that surrounds the image-side lens surface,

the first housing portion includes a regulation portion that regulates a position of the first lens in an optical axis direction,

an object side end surface of the regulation portion is a lens seating surface that positions the first lens in the optical axis direction, and

the image-side flange surface includes an inner peripheral region in which the flexible printed circuit board is disposed and an outer peripheral region with which the object side end surface of the regulation portion is brought into contact, from the object side in the optical axis direction.

2. The lens unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the flexible printed circuit board includes a flat surface portion along the image-side flange surface and an extension portion extending outward in a radial direction;

the flat surface portion includes a connecting portion connected to the extension portion;

the first housing portion includes a counterbore portion recessed outward in the radial direction from an inner peripheral edge of the regulation portion; and

the connecting portion is disposed in the counterbore portion.

3. The lens unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the lens holder includes a through hole opened in an inner surface of the counterbore portion; and

the extension portion is inserted into the through hole.

4. The lens unit according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a transparent conductive film disposed on the image-side lens surface, wherein

the flexible printed circuit board includes a protruding portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction from the flat surface portion;

the protruding portion is disposed in the counterbore portion; and

an electrode electrically connected to the transparent conductive film is disposed on the protruding portion.

5. The lens unit according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a blackened film formed on the image-side flange surface, wherein

the transparent conductive film includes arm portions stacked on top of the blackened film and is connected to the electrode via the arm portions.

6. The lens unit according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a metal thin film disposed on the image-side flange surface, wherein

the metal thin film is disposed on a part of the image-side flange surface in a circumferential direction;

the flexible printed circuit board includes a protruding portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction from the flat surface portion; the protruding portion is disposed on the counterbore portion; and

a tip end portion in a circumferential direction of the metal thin film is connected to an electrode disposed on the protruding portion.

7. The lens unit according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a blackened film formed on the image-side flange surface, wherein

the metal thin film is laminated on the blackened film;

a protective film is laminated on the metal thin film;

the metal thin film is covered by the protective film over an entire range except for the tip end portion; the flat surface portion is annular; and

the flat surface portion is disposed on the protective film.

8. The lens unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the regulation portion includes a plurality of lens seating surfaces that are brought into contact with the image-side flange surface; and

two of the lens seating surfaces are disposed at positions adjacent to each other on one side in the circumferential direction with respect to the counterbore portion and at positions adjacent to each other on the other side in the circumferential direction with respect to the counterbore portion.

9. The lens unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the regulation portion has an outer edge portion extending in the circumferential direction on an outer side in the radial direction of the counterbore portion.

10. The lens unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the regulation portion is annular and faces the outer peripheral edge of the first lens over the entire circumference.

11. The lens unit according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a transparent conductive film disposed on the image-side lens surface, wherein

the flexible printed circuit board includes a protruding portion that protrudes to an outer side in the radial direction from the flat surface portion;

the protruding portion is disposed in the counterbore portion; and

an electrode electrically connected to the transparent conductive film is disposed on the protruding portion.

12. The lens unit according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a blackened film formed on the image-side flange surface, wherein

the transparent conductive film includes arm portions stacked on top of the blackened film and is connected to the electrode via the arm portions.

13. The lens unit according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a metal thin film disposed on the image-side flange surface, wherein

the metal thin film is disposed on a part of the image-side flange surface in a circumferential direction;

the flexible printed circuit board includes a protruding portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction from the flat surface portion;

the protruding portion is disposed in the counterbore portion; and

a tip end portion in a circumferential direction of the metal thin film is connected to an electrode disposed on the protruding portion.

14. The lens unit according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a blackened film formed on the image-side flange surface, wherein

the metal thin film is laminated on the blackened film;

a protective film is laminated on the metal thin film;

the metal thin film is covered by the protective film over an entire range except for the tip end portion;

the flat surface portion is annular; and

the flat surface portion is disposed on the protective film.

15. The lens unit according to claim 3 , wherein

the regulation portion includes a plurality of lens seating surfaces that are brought into contact with the image-side flange surface; and

two of the lens seating surfaces are disposed at positions adjacent to each other on one side in the circumferential direction with respect to the counterbore portion and at positions adjacent to each other on the other side in the circumferential direction with respect to the counterbore portion.

16. The lens unit according to claim 15 , wherein

the regulation portion includes an outer edge portion that extends in the circumferential direction on the outer side in the radial direction of the counterbore portion.

17. The lens unit according to claim 3 , wherein

the regulation portion includes an outer edge portion that extends in the circumferential direction on the outer side in the radial direction of the counterbore portion.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2024
From: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 069428/0352 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 12, 2022
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060054/0667 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056973 FRAME: 0630. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 11, 2022
From: TSURUOKA, YASUO; YAMAMOTO, AKINORI; SHIROTORI, TOSHIO; UMEDA, KATSUMI; TANIKAWA, MASANORI; OKADA, SHINYA
To: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION; PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059659/0763 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2021
From: TSURUOKA, YASUO; YAMAMOTO, AKINORI; SHIROTORI, TOSHIO; UMEDA, KATSUMI; TANIKAWA, MASANORI; OKADA, SHINYA
To: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056973/0630 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-121286 · Jul 15, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220019050A1 · Jan 20, 2022
References Cited (3)
US 20210294066A1 · Hirata · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230244128A1 · Van Den Brink · 2023 [cited by examiner]
JP 2019168509A · 2019 [cited by applicant]