Imaging sensor assembly having tilting structure and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10726258-B2
Application number	US-201816013475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Jul 4, 2017
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a front plate and a rear plate; a touch screen display operably coupled to the front plate; at least one through-hole operably disposed on the front plate; and an imaging sensor assembly facing the front plate at an acute angle with respect to the front plate. The imaging sensor assembly includes a barrel at least partially disposed in the through-hole; a plurality of lenses disposed inside the barrel; a sensor housing surrounding at least part of an outer surface of the barrel; an image sensor assembly comprising an image sensor disposed inside the sensor housing; and a processor electrically coupled to the image sensor and configured to detect an iris image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a front plate facing in a first direction, a rear plate facing in a direction opposite to the front plate, and a lateral member surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate and integrally constructed or attached with respect to the rear plate;
a touch screen display exposed through a first region of the front plate;
a first structure located in the space between the front plate and the rear plate and including at least one through-hole disposed to a second region of the front plate when viewed from above the front plate;
a second structure located within the space and including a portion disposed between a rear plate and the second region of the front plate;
an imaging sensor assembly disposed in the space between the second region of the front plate and the second structure while being in contact with the first structure and the second structure,
wherein the imaging sensor assembly faces the front plate in a second direction at an acute angle with respect to the first direction,
wherein the imaging sensor assembly comprises:
a barrel at least partially disposed in the through-hole;
a plurality of lenses disposed inside the barrel;
a sensor housing laterally surrounding at least part of an outer surface of the barrel and in contact with at least one of the first structure and the second structure; and
an image sensor disposed in the sensor housing to face in the second direction;

a processor disposed in the space, and electrically coupled to the image sensor; and
a memory disposed in the space, electrically coupled to the processor, and storing instructions for allowing the processor to detect an iris image by using the image sensor when executed,
wherein the imaging sensor assembly comprises:
a sensor printed circuit board, disposed inside the sensor housing, to which the imaging sensor is mounted;
a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) drawn out to the sensor housing by a specific length from the printed circuit board; and
a connector disposed at an end portion of the FPCB and electrically coupled to the printed circuit board of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a sealant that is disposed between the barrel and the front plate.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the sealant comprises a urethane foam.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a tilting member that is disposed between the front plate and the barrel and configured to compensate for an inclination space of the imaging sensor assembly, which is inclined at an acute angle.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising a sealant that is disposed between the tilting member and the front plate.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the tilting member includes a same area as an upper side of the barrel.

7. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the tilting member surrounds at least part of the barrel.

8. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein a height of the tilting member decreases from one end of the tilting member to an opposite end of the tilting member.

9. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the tilting member comprises a guide protrusion that is inserted into at least one guide groove disposed along the upper side of the barrel.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the imaging sensor assembly extends up to a stopper protruding into the through-hole.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein an upper side of the barrel extends up to the stopper.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising a sealant that is disposed between the barrel and the stopper.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein t at least part of the sensor housing extends up to the stopper.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising a sealant that is disposed between the sensor housing and the stopper.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the barrel extends into in the sensor housing.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor bracket that surrounds at least part of the imaging sensor assembly.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the imaging sensor assembly faces the sensor bracket.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the FPCB is constructed such that a lateral side opposite to a direction in which the imaging sensor assembly faces is longer than a lateral side facing thereto.

19. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor printed circuit board includes a slope which becomes thicker in a direction opposite to a direction in which the imaging sensor assembly faces.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jinwoo
• Kim Min-Soo
• Seo Jae-Il
• Yang Soonwoong
• Kwak Kyujin
• Kim Kijae
• An Jin-Wan

Classifications

• G06V40/19

  Sensors therefor · CPC title

• H04M1/0264 Primary

  for a camera module assembly · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/54 Primary

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title