Camera module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11609404-B2
Application number	US-202017069991-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2020
Priority date	Mar 13, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A camera module includes: a lens module comprising one or more lenses; and an optical path adjustment member disposed to face the lens module or an imaging plane, and configured to be driven in a direction of an optical axis of the lens module to vary a distance from a rearmost lens of the lens module to the imaging plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera module, comprising:
a lens module comprising one or more lenses; and
an optical path adjustment member disposed to face the lens module or an imaging plane, and configured to be driven in a direction of an optical axis of the lens module to vary a distance from a rearmost lens of the lens module to the imaging plane,
wherein a distance from the rearmost lens to the optical path adjustment member is smaller than a distance from the optical path adjustment member to the imaging plane.

2. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the optical path adjustment member is configured such that an optical path of incident light incident on the optical path adjustment member is parallel to an optical path of emitted light emitted from the optical path adjustment member.

3. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the optical path adjustment member comprises a first optical path folding portion and a second optical path folding portion,
wherein the first optical path portion is configured to reflect or refract light incident from the lens module to the second optical path folding portion, and
wherein the second optical path folding portion configured to reflect or refract the light reflected or refracted from the first optical path folding portion to the imaging plane.

4. The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first driving assembly configured to move the optical path adjustment member in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

5. The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first optical path folding member configured to reflect or refract light reflected from an object to the lens module.

6. The camera module of claim 5 , further comprising:
an image stabilization apparatus configured to drive the first optical path folding member in a direction intersecting the optical axis.

7. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the lens module comprises a lens configured to have different lengths in a first direction intersecting the optical axis and a second direction intersecting the optical axis.

8. The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second optical path folding member disposed between the optical path adjustment member and the imaging plane, and configured to reflect or refract light to the imaging plane.

9. The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second driving assembly configured to move the lens module in the direction of the optical axis.

10. The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a support member supporting the optical path adjustment member;
a housing configured to receive the lens module and the support member; and
a bearing member disposed between the support member and the housing to enable movement of the support member in the direction of the optical axis.

11. A camera module, comprising:
a first lens module including a first lens group disposed along a first optical axis;
a second lens module including a second lens group disposed along a second optical axis parallel to the first optical axis;
an optical path adjustment member configured to reflect or refract light refracted by the first lens module to the second lens module;
a first driving assembly configured to move the optical path adjustment member in a direction of the first optical axis;
a second driving assembly configured to move the first lens module in the direction of the first optical axis; and
a third driving assembly configured to move the second lens module in the direction of the second optical axis.

12. The camera module of claim 11 , further comprising:
a support member supporting the optical path adjustment member;
a housing configured to receive the lens module and the support member; and
a bearing member disposed between the support member and the housing to enable movement of the support member in the direction of the first optical axis.

13. The camera module of claim 11 , further comprising:
an optical path folding member configured to reflect or refract incident light to the first lens module,
wherein the incident light is incident in a direction of a third optical axis perpendicular to the first optical axis.

14. The camera module of claim 11 , wherein the first driving assembly is further configured to move the optical path adjustment member relative to the first lens module and the second lens module in the direction of the first optical axis,
wherein the second driving assembly is further configured to move the first lens module relative to the second lens module and the optical path adjustment member in the direction of the first optical axis, and
wherein the third driving assembly is further configured to move the second lens module relative to the first lens module and the optical path adjustment member in the direction of the second optical axis.

15. A camera module, comprising:
a lens module comprising one or more lenses;
an optical path adjustment member disposed to face the lens module or an imaging plane, and configured to be driven in a direction of an optical axis of the lens module to vary a distance from a rearmost lens of the lens module to the imaging plane; and
a first optical path folding member configured to reflect or refract light reflected from an object to the lens module.

16. The camera module of claim 15 , wherein the optical path adjustment member is configured such that an optical path of incident light incident on the optical path adjustment member is parallel to an optical path of emitted light emitted from the optical path adjustment member.

17. The camera module of claim 15 , wherein the optical path adjustment member comprises a first optical path folding portion and a second optical path folding portion,
wherein the first optical path portion is configured to reflect or refract light incident from the lens module to the second optical path folding portion, and
wherein the second optical path folding portion configured to reflect or refract the light reflected or refracted from the first optical path folding portion to the imaging plane.

18. The camera module of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first driving assembly configured to move the optical path adjustment member in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

19. The camera module of claim 15 , further comprising:
an image stabilization apparatus configured to drive the first optical path folding member in a direction intersecting the optical axis.

Assignees

• Samsung Electro Mech

Inventors

• Yoon Young Bok
• Jeong Bong Won

Classifications

• G03B17/12

  with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets · CPC title

• G03B2205/0015

  by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis · CPC title

• G03B17/17 Primary

  with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• G03B3/02

  moving lens along baseboard · CPC title