Patent FR577293A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5694246A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5694246A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of manufacturing lens array
Assignee: Omron Corp
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Filing: 1995-06-06
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Granted: 1997-12-02
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Expires: 2015-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing a lens array according to the invention is presented wherein a first array of first lens-base elements is formed on a substrate with spacing therebetween. The first lens-base elements are heated so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses having round surfaces. A separation layer is formed to cover the first lenses and the substrate. A second array of second lens-base elements is formed, the second lens-base elements being placed on a region where the first lenses are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lenses. The second lens-base elements are also heated so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses having round surfaces. The lens array comprises the substrate and the first and second lenses.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Aoyama
- 👤 Masayuki Shinohara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 02:01
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0012; G02B3/0018; B; B29; B29C; B29C41/00; B29C41/02; B29C41/20; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00009; B29D11/00278; B29C2791/00; B29C2791/001; B29C33/00; B29C33/38; B29C33/3842; G02B3/0031; G02B3/0037; G02B3/005; G02B3/0056; G02B3/0062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; covering the first lenses and the substrate with a first separation layer; forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a region on the one side of the substrate where the first lenses are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; and heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lenses on the one side of the substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; covering the first lenses and the substrate with a first separation layer; forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a region on the one side of the substrate where the first lenses are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; and heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lenses on the one side of the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
126 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; forming a second array of second lens-base elements with a material different from that of the first lens-base elements in a region on the one side of the substrate where the first lenses are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; and heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lenses on the one side of the substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
126 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; forming a second array of second lens-base elements with a material different from that of the first lens-base elements in a region on the one side of the substrate where the first lenses are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; and heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lenses on the one side of the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
139 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses in a lens array on the one side of the substrate; making a replica of the lens array having the first lenses; forming a second array of second lens-base elements on the replica in a region on one side of the replica where first lens portions of the replica are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lens portions of the replica; and heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lens portions on the one side of the replica.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
139 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses in a lens array on the one side of the substrate; making a replica of the lens array having the first lenses; forming a second array of second lens-base elements on the replica in a region on one side of the replica where first lens portions of the replica are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lens portions of the replica; and heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lens portions on the one side of the replica.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
108 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming an array of lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the lens-base elements so that the lens-base elements melt to form lenses on the one side of the substrate; and repeating the steps of forming and heating the lens-base elements a second time such that additional lens-base elements and additional lenses are formed on the one side of the substrate in a region where the lenses are not formed so as to be substantially adjacent to and to partly overlap with the lenses formed on the one side of the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming an array of lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the lens-base elements so that the lens-base elements melt to form lenses on the one side of the substrate; and repeating the steps of forming and heating the lens-base elements a second time such that additional lens-base elements and additional lenses are formed on the one side of the substrate in a region where the lenses are not formed so as to be substantially adjacent to and to partly overlap with the lenses formed on the one side of the substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a place on the one side of the substrate lacking the first lenses so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses on the one side of the substrate; and repeating the steps of forming and heating the second lens-base elements, if necessary.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a place on the one side of the substrate lacking the first lenses so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses on the one side of the substrate; and repeating the steps of forming and heating the second lens-base elements, if necessary.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
183 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a place on the one side of the substrate lacking the first lenses so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses on the one side of the substrate; repeating the steps of forming and heating the second lens-base elements, if necessary, thereby making a first lens array on the one side of the substrate; accumulating a stamper material on said first lens array serving as a master plate to form a stamper; peeling the stamper from the master plate; filling the stamper with a molten resin; solidifying the resin in the stamper; and removing the stamper to obtain a second lens array made of the resin.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
183 words
A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of: forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween; heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate; forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a place on the one side of the substrate lacking the first lenses so as to partly overlap with the first lenses; heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses on the one side of the substrate; repeating the steps of forming and heating the second lens-base elements, if necessary, thereby making a first lens array on the one side of the substrate; accumulating a stamper material on said first lens array serving as a master plate to form a stamper; peeling the stamper from the master plate; filling the stamper with a molten resin; solidifying the resin in the stamper; and removing the stamper to obtain a second lens array made of the resin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
A lens array comprising: a substrate; a first array of first lenses arranged on one side of said substrate with spacing portions therebetween on the one side of said substrate; and a second array of second lenses disposed on the spacing portions of the one side of said substrate between the first lenses, the second lenses partly overlapping with the adjacent first lenses on the one side of said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A lens array comprising: a substrate; a first array of first lenses arranged on one side of said substrate with spacing portions therebetween on the one side of said substrate; and a second array of second lenses disposed on the spacing portions of the one side of said substrate between the first lenses, the second lenses partly overlapping with the adjacent first lenses on the one side of said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
The lens array according to claim 7 further comprising: a third array of third lenses disposed on spacing portions lacking the first lenses and the second lenses on the one side of said substrate, the third lenses partly overlapping with the adjacent first and second lenses on the one side of said substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The lens array according to claim 7 wherein the lens array is a two-dimensional lens array.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The lens array according to claim 7 wherein the lens array is a one-dimensional lens array.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
An imaging apparatus with use of the lens array as defined in claim 7 comprising: an imaging device having a plurality of photo-sensitive elements; and the lens array disposed so as to face the imaging device, each lens of the lens array corresponding to each photo-sensitive elements.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
A display apparatus of dot-matrix type with use of the lens array as defined in claim 7 comprising: a display device of dot-matrix type having an array of display elements; and the lens array disposed so as to face the display device, each lens of the lens array corresponding to each display element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
An image forming device including the lens array as defined in claim 7.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical information processing apparatus with use of the lens array as defined in claim 7 comprising: a plurality of optical modulating elements; and the lens array the lenses of which correspond to the optical modulating elements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
An optical coupling device with use of the lens array as defined in claim 7 comprising: a plurality of light input/output portions; and the lens array the lenses of which correspond to the light input/output portions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
The lens array according to claim 7, wherein the adjacent first and second lenses are substantially formed in a plane, said lenses substantially covering said substrate on the one side of said substrate and having round surface portions which are exposed to incident light, wherein the light incident on said plane is refracted on said round surface portions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
The lens array according to claim 8, wherein the adjacent first, second, and third lenses are substantially formed in a plane, said lenses substantially covering said substrate on the one side of said substrate and having round surface portions which are exposed to incident light, wherein the light incident on said plane is refracted on said round surface portions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-01 | 2001-06-02 | 2001-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-01 | 2005-06-02 | 2005-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-01 | 2009-06-02 | 2009-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |