Integrated Sensor and Lens Assembly with Differential Threads Adjustment

Abstract

An integrated image sensor and lens assembly comprises an image sensor substrate comprising an image sensor, a lens mount coupled to the image sensor substrate, a tube adapter extending into a channel of the lens mount, and a lens barrel housing a set of lenses for directing light to the image sensor. The lens barrel has a threaded portion that extends into the tube adapter. An upper subsection of the lens mount and a lower subsection of the lens barrel are unthreaded.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated image sensor and lens assembly comprising:
 an image sensor substrate supporting an image sensor defining an optical axis;   a lens mount coupled to the image sensor substrate;   a tube adapter received by the lens mount, the tube adapter including:
 an upper threaded section; 
 a lower threaded section; and 
 an unthreaded section positioned axially between the upper threaded section and the lower threaded section; and 
   a lens barrel for directing light to the image sensor, the lens barrel having a threaded section engageable with the upper threaded section of the tube adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper threaded section and the lower threaded section of the tube adapter each include an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the upper threaded section spaced from the upper end of the lower threaded section along an axis generally parallel in relation to the optical axis. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lower threaded section of the tube adapter extends along an exterior surface thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lens mount includes a threaded section engageable with the lower threaded section of the tube adapter. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the lens mount further includes an unthreaded section adjacent to the threaded section thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the threaded section of the lens mount is spaced a first distance from the image sensor substrate and the unthreaded section of the lens mount is spaced a second distance from the image sensor substrate greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the threaded section of the lens mount extends along an interior surface thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tube adapter is rotatable about the optical axis relative to both the lens barrel and the lens mount. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 8 , wherein relative rotation between the tube adapter and the lens mount causes relative axial movement between the tube adapter and the lens mount along the optical axis. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 9 , wherein relative rotation between the tube adapter and the lens barrel causes relative axial movement between the tube adapter and the lens barrel along the optical axis. 
     
     
         11 . An integrated image sensor and lens assembly comprising:
 an image sensor substrate supporting an image sensor defining an optical axis;   a lens mount supported by image sensor substrate;   a tube adapter received by the lens mount, the tube adapter including an upper threaded section and a lower threaded section positioned so as to eliminate any overlap therebetween along an axis generally parallel in relation to the optical axis; and   a lens barrel engageable with the upper threaded section of the tube adapter and configured to direct light to the image sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the tube adapter includes an unthreaded section positioned axially between the upper threaded section and the lower threaded section. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the unthreaded section of the tube adapter includes an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the unthreaded section coterminous with a lower end of the upper threaded section and the lower end of the unthreaded section coterminous with an upper end of the lower threaded section. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the lens mount includes a threaded section engageable with the lower threaded section of the tube adapter. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the lens mount includes an unthreaded section adjacent to the threaded section thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the unthreaded section of the lens mount is positioned closer to the lens barrel than the threaded section of the lens mount. 
     
     
         17 . The integrated image sensor and lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the lens mount, the tube adapter, and the lens barrel are configured to facilitate relative rotation between the tube adapter and the lens mount and relative rotation between the tube adapter and the lens barrel, wherein relative rotation between the tube adapter and the lens mount causes relative axial movement between the tube adapter and the lens mount along the optical axis and relative rotation between the tube adapter and the lens barrel causes relative axial movement between the tube adapter and the lens barrel along the optical axis. 
     
     
         18 . An imaging device, comprising:
 one or more controls to operate the imaging device;   a storage medium to store images captured by the imaging device;   an image sensor substrate supporting an image sensor defining an optical axis;   a lens mount supported by the image sensor substrate;   a tube adapter received by the lens mount, the tube adapter including:
 a first threaded section; 
 an unthreaded section having a first end coterminous with the first threaded section and a second end opposite the first end; and 
 a second threaded section coterminous with the second end of the unthreaded section; and 
   a lens barrel for directing light to the image sensor, the lens barrel rotatably coupled to the tube adapter.   
     
     
         19 . The imaging device of  claim 18 , wherein the first threaded section of the tube adapter is spaced from the second threaded section of the tube adapter along an axis generally parallel in relation to the optical axis. 
     
     
         20 . The imaging device of  claim 18 , wherein the lens mount includes a threaded section spaced a first distance from the image sensor substrate and an unthreaded section spaced a second distance from the image sensor substrate greater than the first distance.