Lens Assembly Apparatus And Method

Abstract

An optical apparatus includes a housing, a deformable lens, and a lens shaper. The lens shaper defines the shape of the deformable lens. A first mechanism is positioned within the housing to adjust an optical property of the deformable lens. A second mechanism is positioned within the housing to adjust an optical property of the deformable lens. The second mechanism is at least one of an electromechanical actuator or motor. The first mechanism and the second mechanism are different types of mechanisms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a deformable lens;   a lens shaper which defines the shape of the deformable lens;   a first mechanism positioned within the housing to adjust an optical property of the deformable lens;   a second mechanism positioned within the housing to adjust an optical property of the deformable lens wherein the second mechanism is at least one of an electromechanical actuator or motor and further wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism are different types of mechanisms.   
     
     
         2 . The optical apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first mechanism utilizes one or more components selected from the group consisting of: screws, threads, and mechanical positioning. 
     
     
         3 . The optical apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism which prevents the first mechanism from further adjusting an optical property of the deformable lens. 
 
     
     
         4 . The optical apparatus of  claim 3  wherein one or more elements of the locking mechanism involve at least one of a process selected from a group consisting of: application of adhesive, welding, clamping and heat staking. 
     
     
         5 . The optical apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first mechanism is removable from the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The optical apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the deformable lens is at least partially defined by a container. 
     
     
         7 . The optical apparatus of  claim 1  wherein deformation of the deformable lens causes a change in the optical property of the deformable lens. 
     
     
         8 . The optical apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the first mechanism changes a position of the lens shaper with respect to the container which causes the deformable lens to deform, thereby changing the optical property of the deformable lens. 
     
     
         9 . The optical apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a membrane, wherein the first mechanism acts to change an initial tension of at least a portion of the membrane. 
     
     
         10 . An optical apparatus comprising:
 a displacement mechanism;   a container;   a lens shaper;   wherein the container at least partially encloses a filler material wherein the filler material at least partially defines a plurality of deformable lenses, the displacement mechanism capable of changing an optical property of at least one of the plurality of deformable lenses.   
     
     
         11 . The optical apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a membrane, wherein the membrane at least partially encloses the filler material. 
     
     
         12 . The optical apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising: at least one light source which interacts with at least one of the plurality of deformable lenses. 
     
     
         13 . The optical apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a reflector in communication with one or more of the plurality of deformable lenses. 
     
     
         14 . An optical apparatus comprising:
 a deformable lens;   a lens shaper at least partially defining a shape of the deformable lens;   a support member; and   a membrane, wherein the lens shaper and the support member clamp the membrane such that the membrane is always in contact with the lens shaper;   wherein the deformable lens can have a convex or a concave shape, and the lens shaper and the support member are stationary with respect to each other.   
     
     
         15 . An optical apparatus comprising:
 a deformable lens defined at least by a first membrane and a filler material;   a lens shaper, wherein the deformable lens is in contact with the lens shaper at a contact region, and not in contact with the lens shaper at a non-contact region,   a first detachment point defined as the interface between the contact region and the non-contact region;   wherein the first detachment point defines a diameter of the deformable lens;   wherein a shape of the lens shaper allows for a location of the first detachment point to vary with deformation of the deformable lens, such that the diameter of the deformable lens varies with the location of the first detachment point.   
     
     
         16 . The optical apparatus of  claim 15  wherein an axial position of the detachment point varies with the deformation of the deformable lens. 
     
     
         17 . The optical apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a first support member; 
 a second membrane which is a subset of the first membrane that is in contact with the lens shaper at the contact region; 
 a third membrane which is connected with an end of the second membrane and the first support member; 
 a second detachment point which is located at a connection point between the second membrane and the third membrane; 
 a first theoretical line which is tangent to the lens shaper at the first detachment point and a second theoretical line which is tangent to the lens shaper at the second detachment point; 
 a connection angle defined as an angle between the first theoretical line and the second theoretical line and is a supplementary angle to an angle that contains a majority of the lens shaper; 
 a connection angle positive sense defined as being in a direction from the second theoretical line through the first theoretical line and towards the lens shaper wherein the connection angle does not span across the lens shaper; 
 wherein the absolute value of the connection angle is between 0 and 180 degrees. 
 
     
     
         18 . The optical apparatus of  claim 15  wherein only frictional forces are used to hold the first membrane to the lens shaper. 
     
     
         19 . The optical apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a second lens shaper; and 
 a third lens shaper, wherein deformation of the deformable lens causes the lens shaper to shift from the second lens shaper to the third lens shaper and changes the diameter of the deformable lens. 
 
     
     
         20 . The optical apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a second lens shaper; and 
 a third lens shaper, wherein deformation of the deformable lens causes the detachment point to shift from the second lens shaper to the third lens shaper and changes an axial position of the deformable lens. 
 
     
     
         21 . An optical apparatus comprising:
 a deformable lens capable of assuming a plurality of shapes;   a lens shaper at least partially defining a shape of the deformable lens;   an actuation device capable of changing at least one optical property of the deformable lens;   wherein an inner surface of the lens shaper extends from a first face having a first perimeter having a first shape,   to a second face having a second perimeter having a second shape,   wherein the first shape and the second shape are different;   wherein the shape of the deformable lens can be defined by either the first face of the lens shaper or the second face.   
     
     
         22 . The optical apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the first face of the lens shaper is substantially circular and the second face of the lens shaper is substantially non-circular. 
     
     
         23 . The optical apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the first face of the lens shaper is substantially non-circular and the second face of the lens shaper is substantially non-circular.