Light-folding element for camera module, camera module and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867887-B2
Application number	US-202117359168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2021
Priority date	Dec 23, 2020
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A light-folding element includes an object-side surface, an image-side surface, a reflection surface and a connection surface. The reflection surface is configured to reflect imaging light passing through the object-side surface to the image-side surface. The connection surface is connected to the object-side, image-side and reflection surfaces. The light-folding element has a recessed structure located at the connection surface. The recessed structure is recessed from the connection surface an includes a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a tapered portion located between the top end and bottom end portions. The top end portion is located at an edge of the connection surface. The tapered portion has two tapered edges located on the connection surface. The tapered edges are connected to the top end and bottom end portions. A width of the tapered portion decreases in a direction from the top end portion towards the bottom end portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light-folding element for a camera module, the light-folding element comprising:
an object-side surface, wherein an imaging light travelling into the camera module enters the object-side surface;
an image-side surface, wherein the imaging light exits through the image-side surface;
at least one reflection surface, configured to reflect the imaging light passing through the object-side surface and send the imaging light to the image-side surface; and
at least one connection surface, connected to the object-side surface, the image-side surface and the at least one reflection surface;
wherein the light-folding element has at least one recessed structure located at the at least one connection surface, the at least one recessed structure is recessed from the at least one connection surface towards an interior of the light-folding element, and the at least one recessed structure comprises a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a tapered portion at the at least one connection surface;
wherein the top end portion is located at an edge of the at least one connection surface, the bottom end portion is located opposite to the top end portion, the tapered portion is connected to and located between the top end portion and the bottom end portion, the tapered portion has two tapered edges located on the at least one connection surface, the two tapered edges are connected to the top end portion and the bottom end portion, and a width of the tapered portion decreases in a direction from the top end portion towards the bottom end portion;
wherein the at least one connection surface includes two connection surfaces, the two connection surfaces are disposed opposite to each other, the at least one recessed structure includes a plurality of recessed structures, two of the plurality of recessed structures are respectively located on the two connection surfaces, the two of the plurality of recessed structures are connected to each other, and a groove is formed between the two of the plurality of recessed structures;
wherein a depth of the groove is Dg, a distance between the top end portion and the bottom end portion of each of the two of the plurality of recessed structures is D, and the following condition is satisfied:
Dg/D≤ 0.716.

2. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein a width of the top end portion is Wt, a width of the bottom end portion is Wb, and the following condition is satisfied:
0 ≤Wb/Wt< 1.

3. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of recessed structures has two inclined surfaces respectively extending close to each other from the two tapered edges towards the interior of the light-folding element.

4. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein an angle between the two tapered edges is a, and the following condition is satisfied:
2 degrees≤α≤150 degrees.

5. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein the light-folding element has a light absorption layer, and at least a part of the light absorption layer is disposed on at least one of the plurality of recessed structures.

6. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 5 , wherein the light absorption layer surrounds at least one of the object-side surface, the image-side surface and the two connection surfaces.

7. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein the groove is located between two of the object-side surface, the image-side surface and the two connection surfaces.

8. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein two of the plurality of recessed structures are located on a single surface of the two connection surfaces and disposed opposite to each other, one of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces is located closer to an object side of the light-folding element, other of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces is located closer to an image side of the light-folding element, and the two top end portions of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces are respectively located at two opposite edges of the single surface of the two connection surfaces.

9. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 8 , wherein the tapered portion of one of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces tapers in the opposite direction to the tapered portion of other of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces.

10. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 8 , wherein the two tapered portions of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces are connected to each other via the bottom end portions of the two of the plurality of recessed structures located on the single surface of the two connection surfaces.

11. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reflection surface includes at least two reflection surfaces.

12. The light-folding element for the camera module of claim 1 , wherein the light-folding element is formed by injection molding process, and the light-folding element has at least one gate trace located on at least one of the two connection surfaces.

13. A camera module, comprising:
an imaging lens system;
the light-folding element of claim 1 , wherein the light-folding element is located on an object side or an image side of the imaging lens system; and
an image sensor, disposed on an image surface of the imaging lens system, wherein the image sensor is configured to receive the imaging light and convert the imaging light into electrical signals.

14. An electronic device, comprising:
the camera module of claim 13 .

15. A light-folding element for a camera module, the light-folding element comprising:
an object-side surface, wherein an imaging light travelling into the camera module enters the object-side surface;
an image-side surface, wherein the imaging light exits through the image-side surface;
at least one reflection surface, configured to reflect the imaging light passing through the object-side surface and send the imaging light to the image-side surface; and
at least one connection surface, connected to the object-side surface, the image-side surface and the at least one reflection surface;
wherein the light-folding element has at least one recessed structure located at the at least one connection surface, the at least one recessed structure is recessed from the at least one connection surface towards an interior of the light-folding element, and the at least one recessed structure comprises a top end portion, a bottom end portion and a tapered portion at the at least one connection surface;
wherein the top end portion is located at an edge of the at least one connection surface, the bottom end portion is located opposite to the top end portion, the tapered portion is connected to and located between the top end portion and the bottom end portion, the tapered portion has two tapered edges located on the at least one connection surface, the two tapered edges are connected to the top end portion and the bottom end portion, and a width of the tapered portion decreases in a direction from the top end portion towards the bottom end portion;
wherein the at le

Assignees

• Largan Precision Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liao Min-Chun
• Chang Lin An
• Chou Ming-Ta
• Cheng Jyun-Jia
• Lin Cheng-Feng
• Chang Ming-Shun

Classifications

• G02B13/0065 Primary

  having a beam-folding prism or mirror · CPC title

• G02B5/22 Primary

  Absorbing filters {(G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B23/08

  Periscopes {(arrangements on floating structures of underwater viewing devices B63C11/49; arrangement of visual watch equipment on submarines B63G8/38)} · CPC title

• G03B17/17

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

• G02B17/06 Primary

  using mirrors only {, i.e. having only one curved mirror (used in non-imaging applications G02B19/00)} · CPC title