Patent · US Active

Zoom flash with liquid crystal lens

US7616881B2 · kind B2 · utility

17Cited by

4References

13Claims

0Family size

Assignee

EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY · US

Inventors

Rongguang Liang · Tucson, US
Xiang-Dong Mi · Beijing, CN
David Kessler · Rochester, US

Key dates

Filing date	Apr 3, 2007
Grant date	Nov 10, 2009
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 1, 2028

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03B2215/0528
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A camera apparatus (10) has a zoom lens (12) having a zoom focus setting that is adjustable over a range of focus values and control circuitry for generating a variable voltage potential according to the zoom focus setting. A flash illumination apparatus (20) has a light source (32) and a variable focus liquid crystal lens (24), the variable focus liquid crystal lens (24) having a first and a second solid optical element (40, 50), chamber (44), the two electrodes (42, 48) and liquid crystal material (46). A variable voltage is applied to the liquid crystal material (46) for the lens power according to the zoom focus setting.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.