Optical unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11927826-B2
Application number	US-202117348765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2021
Priority date	Jun 22, 2020
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

An optical unit according to one embodiment including: a reflection portion which reflects an incident light flux, which is made incident from outside, in a reflection direction toward an imaging element from an incident direction; a movable body provided with the reflection portion; a fixed body; a movable mechanism which allows the movable body to move relative to the fixed body; a gimbal mechanism provided with a first support portion which supports the movable body swingably about a first axis; and a bearing mechanism which supports the gimbal mechanism swingably relative to the fixed body about a second axis intersecting the first axis direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical unit comprising:
a reflection portion which reflects an incident light flux, which is made incident from outside, in a reflection direction toward an imaging element from an incident direction;
a movable body comprising the reflection portion;
a fixed body;
a movable mechanism which allows the movable body to move relative to the fixed body;
a gimbal mechanism comprising a first support portion which supports the movable body swingably about a first axis; and
a bearing mechanism which supports the gimbal mechanism swingably relative to the fixed body about a second axis intersecting a direction of the first axis;
wherein the gimbal mechanism comprises a rod-shaped frame portion, wherein a first part of the first support portion is attached to a first end of the rod-shaped frame portion, and a second part of the first support portion is attached to a second end of the rod-shaped frame portion;
a support shaft having a columnar rode shape is attached to a central portion of the rod-shaped frame portion, wherein the support shaft extends in a direction of the second axis and is connected to the bearing mechanism;
the support shaft is inserted into an insertion port of the bearing mechanism to permit the rod-shaped frame portion to swing relative to the fixed body, and a swing axis of the rod-shaped frame portion is in the direction of the second axis; and
the fixed body comprises a preload generating member, wherein the preload generating member comprises an elastic member configured to press an end portion of the support shaft along the second axis relative to the housing.

2. The optical unit according to claim 1 , wherein the gimbal mechanism is arranged to allow the movable body to swing with reference to a pitching axis that intersects a rolling axis along the reflection direction, and the bearing mechanism is arranged to allow the gimbal mechanism to swing with reference to a yawing axis that intersects the rolling axis and also the pitching axis.

3. The optical unit according to claim 1 , wherein the movable mechanism comprises a magnet provided on the movable body, and a coil provided at a position opposed to the magnet on the fixed body.

4. The optical unit according to claim 3 , wherein the movable mechanism comprises, as the magnet, a first magnet provided on a rearward side of the movable body in the reflection direction with respect to the reflection portion, and a second magnet, which is smaller than the first magnet and is provided on both of intersecting direction sides of the movable body that intersect the reflection direction with respect to the reflection portion.

5. The optical unit according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing mechanism comprises an inner ring fixed to the support shaft, and an outer ring fixed to a housing formed in the fixed body.

6. The optical unit according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is a plate spring.

7. The optical unit according to claim 6 , wherein the plate spring is fixed to the fixed body at one end portion of the plate spring, and presses, with a contact part provided at an other end portion of the plate spring, the end portion of the support shaft along the second axis relative to the housing.

8. The optical unit according to claim 7 , wherein the contact part comprises a projection part, and the support shaft comes into contact with the contact part with a flat surface or a recessed part having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the projection part.

9. The optical unit according to claim 7 , wherein the support shaft comprises a projection part, and the contact part comes into contact with the projection part with a flat surface or a recessed part having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the projection part.

10. The optical unit according to claim 6 , wherein the plate spring is fixed to the fixed body at end portions in a plurality of directions, and presses, with a contact part provided at a position different from positions of the end portions in the plurality of directions, the end portion of the support shaft along the second axis relative to the housing.

11. The optical unit according to claim 10 , wherein the contact part comprises a projection part, and the support shaft comes into contact with the contact part with a flat surface or a recessed part having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the projection part.

12. The optical unit according to claim 10 , wherein the support shaft comprises a projection part, and the contact part comes into contact with the projection part with a flat surface or a recessed part having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the projection part.

Assignees

• Nidec Sankyo Corp

Inventors

• Arai Tsutomu
• Sue Takeshi

Classifications

• G02B7/182 Primary

  for mirrors · CPC title

• G02B7/1821 Primary

  for rotating or oscillating mirrors · CPC title

• G03B17/12

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

• G03B17/17

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

• G03B30/00

  Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles · CPC title