Granted Patent B2

US 12,345,877 · App. 17/619,967 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventors: Hujun Huang (Yuyao Ningbo, CN); Yuqing Ye (Yuyao Ningbo, CN); Rongwei Liu (Yuyao Ningbo, CN); Dong Luo (Yuyao Ningbo, CN)

Assignee: NINGBO SUNNY AUTOMOTIVE OPTECH CO., LTD.

G02B27/0006B29D11/00009H05B3/84H05B2203/007H05B2203/013H05B2203/016

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. An optical device, comprising:

at least one lens element;

a lens barrel, wherein the lens barrel has an installation cavity, wherein the lens element is installed in the installation cavity of the lens barrel; and

at least one heating element, wherein the at least one heating element is arranged to contact a surface of the lens element near an object side in a manner capable of being powered-on to generate heat, so as to heat the lens element, and wherein pins of the at least one heating element are arranged in a non-clear region of the lens element;

wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one second heating element arranged in the non-clear region of the lens element, wherein the second heating element has a closed-loop structure with a configuration formed by a plurality of heating wires connected in series to form an entirely closed loop with its ends connected;

wherein upper and lower sides of the second heating element each have a series port so that the outermost electric heating wire of the second heating element and the innermost heating wire of the second heating element are connected in series.

2. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element further comprises at least one first heating element and at least two first pins electrically connected to the first heating element, wherein the first heating element has a light transmittance property, wherein the first heating element is arranged in a clear region of the lens element, and wherein the at least two first pins are separated from each other and disposed in the non-clear region of the lens element; wherein the two first pins are disposed on two sides of the non-clear region of the lens element in such a manner that the first heating element generates heat uniformly.

3. The optical device according to claim 2 , wherein the first heating element is further arranged in the non-clear region of the lens element, wherein the first heating element is implemented as an ITO film.

4. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least two second pins, and wherein the at least two second pins are separated from each other and arranged on the second heating element; wherein the second heating element is covered on a part of the non-clear region or covered over all of the non-clear region; wherein the two second pins are disposed on two sides of the second heating element in such a manner that the second heating element generates heat uniformly.

5. The optical device according to claim 4 , wherein the second heating element has a plurality of ring rows of protrusions, wherein the number of the protrusions is configured to match a resistance value of the second heating element.

6. The optical device according to claim 4 , wherein the second heating element is implemented as an electric heating wire.

7. The optical device according to claim 4 , wherein a shape of the second heating element is configured to match a resistance value of the second heating element.

8. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the second heating element comprises at least one second pin having a strip shape.

9. An optical device, comprising:

at least one lens element;

a lens barrel, wherein the lens element is installed on the lens barrel;

at least one heating element; and

at least two conductive elements, wherein the heating element is disposed on the lens element, wherein the heating element has at least two terminals, wherein the at least two conductive elements are fixed to positions in contact and electrical connection with corresponding terminals, respectively, wherein the conductive elements each have a conductive contact surface, wherein the conductive contact surface is electrically connected to the terminals of the heating element in a surface contact manner, and wherein the at least two conductive elements are used to be connected to a power supply device so that the power supply device supplies electric power to the heating element to heat the lens element;

wherein the optical device further comprises a conductive adhesive which is a cured or dried adhesive with electrical conductivity, and wherein the conductive contact surface of the conductive elements is bonded and fixed to a position in electrical contact with the terminals of the heating element through the conductive adhesive;

wherein the optical device further comprises at least one fixing element, and wherein the conductive elements are fixed and held by the fixing element at positions in contact and electrical connection with the terminals of the heating element;

wherein the optical device further comprises a thermal insulating member disposed on the lens element in a manner to reduce heat dissipation from the heating element, wherein the conductive elements are fixed and held between the thermal insulating member and the lens element and are in electrical contact with the terminals, and the thermal insulating member covers at least a portion of the conductive elements.

10. The optical device according to claim 9 , wherein an area of the conductive contact surface is greater than or equal to an area of the terminal.

11. The optical device according to claim 9 , further comprising at least two conductors, wherein the at least two conductors are electrically connected to corresponding conductive elements, respectively, so that the conductive elements access the power supply device through the conductors.

12. The optical device according to claim 11 , wherein the lens barrel has at least one fixed cavity and at least one conductor channel, wherein the fixed cavity is located between the lens element and a barrel wall of the lens barrel, wherein the conductive elements are installed in the fixed cavity and is in electrical contact with the terminals of the heating element, wherein the fixing element is installed between the conductive elements and the barrel wall and provides a force so that the conductive elements and the lens element are kept relatively fixed, and wherein the conductor channel communicates with the fixed cavity and extends outward along the barrel wall, so that the conductors extend outward from the conductive elements along the conductor channel.

13. The optical device according to claim 11 , wherein the thermal insulating member is installed between the lens element and a wall of the lens barrel, and provides a force so that the conductive elements and the lens element are kept relatively fixed, and wherein the thermal insulating member is electrically insulated and thermal insulating.

14. The optical device according to claim 9 , wherein a contacting surface between the conductive contact surface of the conductive element and the terminal of the heating element is configured to match a shape and position of the terminal of the heating element.

15. The optical device according to claim 9 , wherein the lens barrel has a barrel wall, wherein the barrel wall is made of non-conductive material, wherein the barrel wall has at least two conductor channels that do not communicate with each other, wherein the at least two conductor channels are extended to corresponding terminals of the heating element, respectively, and wherein the at least two conductive elements are cured and molded by injecting conductive paste into the at least two conductor channels, respectively, so that the at least two conductive elements are electrically connected to the corresponding terminals, respectively.

16. The optical device according to claim 9 , wherein each conductive element includes a first conductive element and a second conductive element which are integrally connected to form an L-shaped structure, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element are formed from the same conductive material or separately formed from different conductive materials.

17. The optical device according to claim 9 , wherein the conductive contact surface of each conductive element has two arc-shaped surface structures, which do not contact each other.

18. A method for manufacturing an optical device, comprising the following steps:

A. arranging at least one heating element on at least one lens element, wherein the heating element has two terminals;

B. installing the lens element in a lens barrel; and

C. fixing and holding at least two conductive elements at positions in electrical contact with corresponding terminals of the heating element, respectively, wherein the conductive elements each have a conductive contact surface, wherein the conductive contact surface is electrically connected to the terminals of the heating element through a conductive adhesive in a surface contact manner, and wherein the at least two conductive elements are used to be connected to a power supply device so that the power supply device supplies electric power to the heating element to heat the lens element, and wherein step A and step B can be interchanged in order, and a fixing element is provided, wherein the conductive elements are fixed and held by the fixing element at positions in contact and electrical connection with the terminals of the heating element, and a thermal insulating member is provided to dispose on the lens element in a manner to reduce heat dissipation from the heating element, wherein the conductive elements are fixed and held between the thermal insulating member and the lens element and are in electrical contact with the terminals, and the thermal insulating member covers at least a portion of the conductive elements.

19. An optical device, comprising:

at least one lens element;

a lens barrel, wherein the lens barrel has an installation cavity, wherein the lens element is installed in the installation cavity of the lens barrel; and

at least one heating element, wherein the at least one heating element is arranged to contact a surface of the lens element near an object side in a manner capable of being powered-on to generate heat, so as to heat the lens element, and wherein pins of the at least one heating element are arranged in a non-clear region of the lens element;

wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one second heating element arranged in the non-clear region of the lens element, wherein the second heating element has a closed-loop structure with a single annular heating wire;

wherein the second heating element comprises a first sub-heating element, a second sub-heating element, and two second pins, wherein the second sub-heating element is integrally connected to two ends of the first sub-heating element to form a ring-shaped structure with different widths, and wherein a width of the first sub-heating element is larger than a width of second sub-heating element, and the two second pins are arranged at the two ends of the first sub-heating element.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (17)