KR100710310B1 - Optical Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical device for easily adjusting the position of the opening.

The present invention is an incident part for receiving light; A cylinder in contact with the incidence portion and storing a first liquid that is an electrolyte and a second liquid that is non-electrolyte and blocks light; A transmissive part in contact with the cylinder on a surface opposite to the incident part and transmitting light incident from the outside into the cylinder through the incident part to the outside of the cylinder; And at least two power supply means for applying power to the first liquid.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the position of the opening of the optical device can be easily adjusted.

Liquid lens, aperture, opening

Description

Optical Apparatus

Figure 1a is a schematic diagram showing the electrowetting phenomenon.

1B is a plan view of an aperture according to the prior art.

2 is a cross-sectional view of an optical apparatus according to the present invention.

3 is a plan view of an optical apparatus according to the present invention.

4 is a sectional view of an optical apparatus equipped with a power applying means according to the present invention;

5 is a plan view of an optical apparatus equipped with a power applying means according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a variable opening of the optical device according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: insulating layer 110: electrode

120: curved surface of the electrolyte liquid when no voltage is applied

130: curved surface of the electrolyte liquid when a voltage is applied

160: opening 170: aperture adjustment plate

200: cylinder 210: electrode

220: insulating layer 230: hydrophilic material layer

240: transmission part 250: transparent electrode

260: first liquid 270: second liquid

280: entrance part 290: power supply

295: light incident on the optical instrument 310: cylinder

320: light blocking portion 330: opening

511 to 518: electrodes 611 to 618: openings

The present invention relates to an optical device, and more particularly, to an aperture, which is attached to the front surface of an optical device and controls an amount of incident light.

1B is a plan view of an aperture according to the prior art. Referring to Figure 1b will be described in the conventional aperture according to the prior art.

The conventional aperture is provided with a plurality of fan-shaped plates 170 on the outer side, and the opening 160 through which light is incident from the outside is located in the plurality of fan-shaped plates.

The principle of controlling the amount of light incident on the aperture is as follows.

In order to reduce the amount of light incident on the aperture, the plurality of fan-shaped plates 170 move toward the inside of the aperture to narrow the opening 160 and increase the amount of light incident on the aperture. In this case, the plurality of fan-shaped plates 170 move toward the outside of the stop to widen the opening 160.

In addition, when the plurality of fan-shaped plate 170 meets at a point inside the aperture to completely block the light from the outside, it serves as a shutter. That is, the plurality of fan-shaped plates 170 and the openings 160 serve to correspond to the iris and the pupil of the human eye, respectively.

However, the conventional aperture and shutter described above have the following problems.

First, conventional apertures cannot adjust the position of the opening. That is, to change the direction in which light is incident from the outside of the aperture, the axis of the entire aperture must be moved.

Second, since the conventional aperture and shutter are made through mechanical driving, a large amount of power is consumed when adjusting the aperture.

Third, conventional apertures could not make a perfectly circular opening. That is, in order to make the aperture close to the circle, the number of the plurality of fan-shaped plates 170 needs to be increased, so that more power is required, and also the circular aperture cannot be made completely.

Fourth, since the plurality of fan-shaped plate 170 operates through a mechanical drive, the central axis can be shifted through continuous operation.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical device that can easily adjust the direction of the incident light without mechanically driving the optical device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical device with low power consumption when adjusting the aperture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical device having a completely circular opening.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an optical device which does not operate by mechanical driving and thus does not cause deviation of the central axis even if it is operated continuously.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses the electrowetting phenomenon. Electrowetting is a phenomenon in which the surface tension of an electrolyte liquid is changed by applying electricity, which was discovered by Dr. Gabriel Lifman.

Dr. Gabriel Rifman immersed a tank in a tank and puts a tube into it. The electrical capillary phenomenon that changes the surface height in the tube by means of electricity is realized.

However, the phenomenon is found only at a low voltage of about 1V, because when the voltage increases, electricity flows and water is electrolyzed to generate bubbles.

Dr. Bruno Berge, a French physicist, solved the above problem of being unable to control surface tension at high voltages. Dr. Bruno Berge has applied an insulator layer with a thickness of several micrometers on the surface of the metal so that it does not come into contact with the water, and then drops the water droplets on it and applies electricity to the metal plate and the water droplets. It was confirmed that the surface shape was changed.

In other words, when the insulator is inserted in the middle, the surface shape of the water droplets can be adjusted not only at low voltage but also at several tens of volts.

Figure 1a is a schematic diagram showing the electrowetting phenomenon. The insulating layer 100 is coated on the electrode 110, and the curvature of the liquid is large when no voltage is applied (120), but the curvature of the liquid is relatively smaller when a voltage is applied (130).

The curvature of the liquid is as follows.

Θ ° is an angle between the liquid and the plate on which the liquid is placed when the liquid is curved by surface tension when no voltage is applied, and θ is the surface tension of the liquid by electrowetting phenomenon when a voltage is applied. Is the angle formed by the liquid and the plate on which the liquid is placed.

Where d is the thickness of the insulating layer, ε represents the dielectric constant, ε. The dielectric constant in vacuum, V is the voltage applied to the liquid, and γ represents the magnitude of the surface tension of the liquid. .

Therefore, the greater the voltage applied to the liquid, the smaller the angle between the liquid and the plate on which the liquid is placed, i.e., the stronger the voltage, the flatter the shape becomes, thus refraction when light enters the liquid. Degree of change.

Using the above principle, the present invention provides an incident part for receiving light; A cylinder in contact with the incidence portion and storing a first liquid that is an electrolyte and a second liquid that is non-electrolyte and blocks light; A transmissive part in contact with the cylinder on a surface opposite to the incident part and transmitting light incident from the outside into the cylinder through the incident part to the outside of the cylinder; And at least two power supply means for applying power to the first liquid.

The at least two power supply means provides the optical device, characterized in that for controlling the curvature of the interface between the first liquid and the second liquid.

The at least two power supply means provides an optical device, characterized in that for adjusting the position of the opening of the optical device.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described.

The same components as in the prior art are given the same names and the same reference numerals for convenience of description, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 is a cross-sectional view of an optical device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view of an optical device according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which power supply means are provided in the optical device according to the present invention, and FIG. A plan view of an optical apparatus provided with a power applying means according to the present invention.

2 and 5, the first embodiment of the writing instrument according to the present invention will be described.

The optical device according to the present invention is bonded between the incident part 280 that receives light from the outside and the transmission part 240 that transmits the light to the outside of the optical device and between the incident part 280 and the transmission part 240. It comprises a cylinder 210.

Since the incident part 280 and the transmitting part 240 serve to transmit and receive light, respectively, the incident part 280 and the transmitting part 240 should be transparent, and may be manufactured in the form of a convex lens or a concave lens.

In addition, since the name (incident part, transmissive part) is given according to the traveling direction of light, the functions of the incident part 280 and the transmissive part 240 may be interchanged.

The first liquid 260 and the second liquid 270 are stored in the cylinder 210. The first liquid 260 should have an electrolyte material dissolved therein, and the second liquid 270 may be electrically charged. It must not pass through and block light.

Therefore, only light incident to the inside of the opening 295 among the light traveling to the incident part 280 of the optical device proceeds to the inside of the optical device.

Preferably, the first liquid 260 is water, and the second liquid 270 should be black oil.

The optical device should be provided with at least two power applying means for applying power to the first liquid, the power applying means is the curvature of the interface between the first liquid 260 and the second liquid 270 Can be controlled.

In addition, the power applying means may adjust the position of the opening 295, which will be described later in the operation of the present invention.

The power applying means includes a transparent electrode 250 in contact with the first liquid, at least two electrodes 210 in contact with the first liquid 260 with the insulating layer 220 therebetween, and the transparent electrode 250. ) And a power source 290 connecting the at least two electrodes 210 to each other.

The transparent electrode 250 should be in direct contact with the first liquid 260, and may be preferably formed on one surface of the transmission part 240, as shown in FIG. 4. It may be formed on one side.

Preferably, the transparent electrode 250 should be an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode.

The at least two or more electrodes 210 are to adjust the position of the opening, so at least two or more electrodes should be formed. Preferably, the at least two electrodes 210 should be formed in a direction perpendicular to the incident part 280 on the surface of the cylinder 200. do.

Since the at least two electrodes 210 should not be in direct contact with the first liquid, the insulating layer 220 should be formed between the first liquid 260 and the at least two electrodes 210. do.

Preferably, the insulating layer 220 should be formed on the surface of the at least two electrodes 210.

A power source 290 is connected to the transparent electrode 250 and the at least two electrodes 210, respectively, and the power source 290 should be the same number as the at least two electrodes 220.

5 is a plan view of an optical apparatus in which eight electrodes 511 to 518 are provided in a cylinder 500. Light is not incident on the portion covered by the second liquid 590, and light is incident to the inside of the optical device only through the diaphragm 595 inside the second liquid 590.

In addition, a hydrophilic material layer 230 is formed on the surface of the insulating layer 220 to maintain the shape of the first liquid 260.

That is, the hydrophilic material layer 230 has a strong adsorption force with the first liquid 260 in which the electrolyte is dissolved, rather than the second liquid 270 in which the non-electrolyte is dissolved, so that the first liquid 260 is the incident part ( 280) may be prevented.

In addition, the hydrophilic material layer 230 may be formed on the interface between the transmission part 240 and the first liquid 260.

6 is a schematic view showing a variable opening of the optical device according to the present invention. Referring to Figure 6 describes the operation of the optical device according to the present invention.

When a voltage is applied to the power source 290, the first liquid 260 plays the same role as a capacitor according to an electrowetting phenomenon, and thus an interface between the first liquid 260 and the second liquid 270. The curvature of changes.

3 is a schematic diagram of an optical apparatus in which only a single electrode is formed inside a cylinder. Light is blocked by the second liquid 320, and the light is incident only from the outside into the optical device to the inside of the optical device to form an opening.

At this time, the size of the opening may be adjusted by adjusting the magnitude of the voltage applied to the power source.

That is, as the voltage of the power source increases, the size of the opening becomes smaller, and when the voltage is higher than a predetermined level, the diameter of the opening becomes 0, so that the optical device according to the present invention performs the function of a shutter.

In the optical apparatus of FIG. 6, eight electrodes are formed in a cylinder, and the positions of the openings may change from ① to ⑧ (ie, 611 to 618) according to the voltage applied to the eight electrodes.

That is, when a voltage is applied to only one of the power supply electrodes connected to the at least two or more electrodes (eight in this embodiment), a strong electricity is applied to a portion of the first liquid 260 that is in contact with the electrode to which the voltage is applied. Wetting phenomenon occurs.

Therefore, the portion of the first liquid 260 in contact with the power to which the voltage is applied tries to close the opening, but the opposite portion of the second liquid 260 is not, so as a result, the opposite direction of the power to which the voltage is applied. This causes the phenomenon that the opening is moved.

For example, when voltage is applied to a power source connected to an electrode contacting the opening ① 611, the opening moves and is positioned at ⑤ 615.

In addition, when a voltage is applied to a power source connected to two or more of eight electrodes, the shape of the opening may be adjusted, and the size of the diameter of the opening may be adjusted.

Therefore, when the path of the light incident to the ① to ⑧ (ie, 611 to 618) is changed, the angle of propagation of the light transmitted to the transmission part 240 is changed, and thus the transmission part 240 side without mechanical driving The observer's field of view changes.

The optical device according to the present invention discussed above may be applied to a field of instruments that need to change the field of view without mechanical driving in a narrow space, such as an endoscope in the medical field.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and such modifications are included within the scope of the present invention even though modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Referring to the effects of the optical device according to the present invention described above are as follows.

First, it is possible to easily adjust the direction of the incident light without mechanical driving.

Second, the power consumption is low when adjusting the aperture.

Third, to provide an optical device having a completely circular opening.

Fourth, it is to provide an optical device that does not operate by mechanical driving, so that the deviation of the central axis does not occur even if continuous operation is performed.

Claims (10)

A cylinder provided between the light incident portion and the light transmitting portion; A second liquid which is provided inside the cylinder and has the same density and does not mix with each other, the first liquid that is an electrolyte, and the second liquid that blocks light; And And at least two power supply means for applying power to the first liquid to control the curvature of the interface between the first liquid and the second liquid. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two power supply means, Optical device, characterized in that for adjusting the position or size of the opening of the optical device. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two power supply means, A transparent electrode in contact with the first liquid; At least two electrodes in contact with the first liquid with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; And Optical device comprising a power source for connecting the transparent electrode and the at least two or more electrodes, respectively. The method of claim 4, wherein the transparent electrode, Optical device, characterized in that provided between the transmission portion and the cylinder. The method of claim 4, wherein the transparent electrode Optical device, characterized in that the ITO (Indium-Tin-Oxide) electrode. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least two electrodes Optical device, characterized in that formed in a direction perpendicular to the incident portion. The method of claim 4, wherein the insulating layer, Optical device, characterized in that formed on the surface of the at least two or more electrodes. The method of claim 1, And a hydrophilic material layer formed on the inner surface of the cylinder. The method of claim 1, wherein the second liquid, Optical device, characterized in that the black oil (oil).

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