Optical image stabilization with voice coil motor for moving image sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12028615-B2
Application number	US-202318167800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Mar 11, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

In some embodiments, a camera actuator includes an actuator base, an autofocus voice coil motor, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the autofocus voice coil motor includes a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of shared magnets mounted to the base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the actuator base, and optical image stabilization coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the shared magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A voice coil motor (VCM) actuator, comprising:
a dynamic platform configured to couple with an image sensor of a camera such that the image sensor moves together with the dynamic platform;
a static platform;
multiple flexure arms that mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform; and
one or more flexure stabilizer members configured to mechanically connect flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms to each other such that the one or more flexure stabilizer members prevent interference between the flexure arms;
wherein the VCM actuator is configured to move the dynamic platform such that the image sensor moves relative to the static platform in a plurality of directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera.

2. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least one flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members comprises at least one of a different size or a different thickness than at least one other flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members.

3. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least two flexure stabilizer members of the one or more flexure stabilizer members are positioned on a same axis that extends in a direction that is orthogonal to at least three flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms.

4. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least two flexure stabilizer members of the one or more flexure stabilizer members are positioned on different axes that extend in directions that are orthogonal to at least three flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms.

5. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flexure stabilizer members are configured to prevent the flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms from colliding with each other during a movement event of the camera.

6. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms comprise a bend portion; and
at least one flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members is positioned at the bend portion.

7. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least one flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members mechanically connects at least two adjacent flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms to prevent interference between the at least two adjacent flexure arms independent of a remaining one or more flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms.

8. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein:
at least two flexure stabilizer members of the one or more flexure stabilizer members mechanically connect at least two flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms; and
the at least two flexure stabilizer members are positioned on different axes that are orthogonal to the at least two flexure arms.

9. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more flexure stabilizer members comprises multiple flexure stabilizer members;
respective flexure stabilizer members of the multiple flexure stabilizer members mechanically connect different pairs of flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms; and
at least two respective flexure stabilizer members of the respective flexure stabilizer members are positioned on different axes that are orthogonal to at least two adjacent flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms.

10. The VCM actuator of claim 1 , wherein at least two flexure stabilizer members of the one or more flexure stabilizer members are positioned on a same axis that extends in a direction that is not orthogonal to at least three flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms.

11. A camera, comprising:
a lens in a lens carrier, wherein the lens includes one or more lens elements;
an image sensor to capture light passing through the lens and convert the captured light into image signals; and
a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator, comprising:
a dynamic platform configured to couple with the image sensor such that the image sensor moves together with the dynamic platform;
a static platform;
multiple flexure arms that mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform; and
one or more flexure stabilizer members configured to mechanically connect flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms to each other such that the one or more flexure stabilizer members prevent interference between the flexure arms;
wherein the VCM actuator is configured to move the dynamic platform such that the image sensor moves relative to the static platform in a plurality of directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera.

12. The camera of claim 11 , wherein the one or more flexure stabilizer members are configured to limit motion of the flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms during a movement event of the camera.

13. The camera of claim 11 , wherein the one or more flexure stabilizer members are configured to provide in-plane stiffness for the VCM actuator.

14. The camera of claim 11 , wherein:
the flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms comprise groups of flexure arms; and
at least one flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members is positioned with respective groups of flexure arms to prevent interference between the flexure arms of the respective groups of flexure arms.

15. The camera of claim 14 , wherein the respective groups of flexure arms are positioned towards respective separate corners of the VCM actuator.

16. The camera of claim 15 , wherein:
the VCM actuator comprises four corners;
the groups of flexure arms comprise four groups of flexure arms; and
the respective groups of flexure arms are position towards respective corners of the four corners.

17. A multifunction device, comprising:
a camera, comprising:
a lens in a lens carrier, wherein the lens includes one or more lens elements;
an image sensor to capture light passing through the lens and convert the captured light into image signals; and
a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator, comprising:
a dynamic platform configured to couple with the image sensor such that the image sensor moves together with the dynamic platform;
a static platform;
multiple flexure arms that mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform; and
one or more flexure stabilizer members configured to mechanically connect flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms to each other such that the one or more flexure stabilizer members prevent interference between the flexure arms;
wherein the VCM actuator is configured to move the dynamic platform such that the image sensor moves relative to the static platform in a plurality of directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera,

one or more processors; and
memory storing program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to control operation of the camera and to perform one or more other functions of the multifunction device.

18. The multifunction device of claim 17 , wherein at least one flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members comprises at least one of a different size or a different thickness than at least one other flexure stabilizer member of the one or more flexure stabilizer members.

19. The multifunction device of claim 17 , wherein at least two flexure stabilizer members of the one or more flexure stabilizer members are positioned on a same axis that extends in a direction that is orthogonal to at least three flexure arms of the multiple flexure arms.

20. The multifunction device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a display;
wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or mor

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hubert Aurelien R
• Yang Qiang
• Brodie Douglas S
• Miller Scott W
• Sharma Shashank

Classifications

• H02K2201/18

  Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom · CPC title

• H02K41/0356

  moving along a straight path · CPC title

• G03B13/36

  Autofocus systems · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• G03B2205/0069

  using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils · CPC title