Electronic device including camera module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12015728-B2
Application number	US-202217894582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2022
Priority date	Apr 2, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device includes a camera module, wherein the camera module includes a lens assembly including lenses aligned along an optical axis, an actuator, a first magnet disposed on a first surface of the lens assembly, a first coil configured to move the lens assembly along the optical axis, a metal shield structure disposed on an outer surface of the actuator to face the first coil, and a fixing structure disposed on a third surface perpendicular to the first surface of the lens assembly, wherein at least a portion of the fixing structure has a magnetic property. When one end of the fixing structure is inserted into an opening of a housing, the fixing structure is fixed in an optical axis direction by the opening and is fixed in the first direction by a magnetic force acting on the metal shield structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a camera module, wherein the camera module comprises:
a lens assembly including lenses aligned along an optical axis;
an actuator surrounding at least two surfaces of the lens assembly;
a first magnet disposed on a first surface of the lens assembly;
a first coil disposed on the actuator to correspond to the first surface of the lens assembly and configured to move the lens assembly along the optical axis;
a metal shield structure disposed on an outer surface of the actuator to face the first coil;
a second magnet disposed on a second surface of the lens assembly;
a second coil disposed on the actuator to correspond to the second surface of the lens assembly and configured to move the lens assembly on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis;
a fixing structure disposed on a third surface perpendicular to the first surface of the lens assembly, wherein at least a portion of the fixing structure has a magnetic property;
at least one driving circuit electrically connected to the first coil and the second coil; and
a housing in which the lens assembly and the actuator are accommodated,

wherein the fixing structure is movable in a first direction parallel to the third surface in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis,
wherein the housing includes an opening through which one end of the fixing structure is inserted into the housing, and
wherein, when one end of the fixing structure is inserted into the opening, the fixing structure is fixed in an optical axis direction by the opening and is fixed in the first direction by a magnetic force acting on the metal shield structure.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the third surface of the lens assembly includes an inwardly concave recess,
wherein another end of the fixing structure includes a protrusion corresponding to the recess, and
wherein when the one end of the fixing structure is inserted into the opening as the fixing structure moves in the first direction, the protrusion comes into contact with one end of the recess.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 ,
wherein the opening is included in a first side surface corresponding to the first surface of the lens assembly among inner surfaces of the housing,
wherein, when the lens assembly is located at a first position with respect to the housing, the one end of the fixing structure is in contact with the first side surface, and
wherein, when the lens assembly is located at a second position shifted in the optical axis direction more than the first position relative to the housing, the fixing structure moves in the first direction relative to the lens assembly, and the one end of the fixing structure is inserted into the opening.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein, when the camera module satisfies a predetermined condition, the at least one driving circuit controls the first coil to move the lens assembly to the second position.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a Hall sensor disposed on the actuator to face the first magnet and configured to detect a position of the lens assembly,
wherein the at least one driving circuit is configured to:
control the first coil to output a signal for moving the lens assembly to the first position, and
determine whether or not the lens assembly is fixed to the second position without being moved to the first position using the Hall sensor.

6. The electronic device of claim 2 ,
wherein an angle between the third surface and a surface in which the one end of the recess and the protrusion are in contact with each other is an angle of 45 degrees, and
wherein, when the one end of the fixing structure is inserted into the opening, the lens assembly is fixed in a second direction perpendicular to the surface in which the one end of the recess and the protrusion are in contact with each other on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis by contact between the one end of the recess and the protrusion.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one driving circuit is configured to control the second coil to move the lens assembly in a direction opposite to the second direction when the camera module satisfies a predetermined condition.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein, when the lens assembly moves in a direction opposite to the second direction, the one end of the fixing structure is separated from the opening.

9. The electronic device of claim 2 ,
wherein the camera module further includes an auto focus (AF) carrier that accommodates the lens assembly and is accommodated in the housing,
wherein the fixing structure is disposed on the AF carrier and configured to be movable in the first direction relative to the AF carrier, and
wherein, when the one end of the fixing structure is inserted into the opening, the AF carrier is fixed in the optical axis direction by the opening, and the lens assembly is fixed on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis as the protrusion comes into contact with the one end of the recess.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one end of the fixing structure has a magnetic property.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the fixing structure has a magnetic property.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the actuator surrounds three surfaces including the first surface, the second surface, and a fourth surface of the lens assembly,
wherein the camera module further includes a third magnet disposed on the fourth surface of the lens assembly, and a third coil disposed on the actuator to correspond to the fourth surface, and
wherein the at least one driving circuit is configured to:
control the third coil to move the lens assembly on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis along a first axis parallel to the second surface, and
control the second coil to move the lens assembly on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis along a second axis parallel to the fourth surface.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the camera module includes at least two balls disposed between the actuator and the lens assembly to move the lens assembly along the optical axis.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the camera module includes at least four balls disposed between the housing and the lens assembly to move the lens assembly on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an application processor (AP) electrically connected to the camera module,
wherein the AP is configured to control the camera module to fix the lens assembly relative to the housing.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a camera module, wherein the camera module comprises:
a lens assembly including lenses aligned along an optical axis,
an actuator surrounding at least two surfaces of the lens assembly,
a first magnet disposed on a first surface of the lens assembly,
a first coil disposed on the actuator to correspond to the first surface of the lens assembly and configured to move the lens assembly along the optical axis,
a metal shield structure disposed on an outer surface of the actuator to face the first coil,
a second magnet disposed on a second surface of the lens assembly,
a second coil disposed on the actuator to correspond to the second surface of the lens assembly and configured to move the lens assembly on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis,
a fixing structure disposed on a third surface perpendicular to the first surface of the lens assembly, wherein at

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Doyun
• Kang Hokyung
• Lee Dongwoo
• Jang Jihyuk

Classifications

• H04N23/675

  comprising setting of focusing regions · CPC title

• H04N23/55

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

• H04N23/54

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

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• G03B2205/0015

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