Camera module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222525-B2
Application number	US-201917419135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2019
Priority date	Dec 28, 2018
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

The present exemplary embodiment relates to a camera module comprising: a housing; a liquid lens disposed in the housing; a magnet disposed in the housing; a base disposed and spaced apart from the housing; a substrate comprising a coil facing the magnet and disposed on the base; a plurality of wires connected to the housing and the substrate; and a connection part connecting the liquid lens and at least one wire of the plurality of wires, wherein the liquid lens and the substrate are electrically connected to each other through the connection part and the at least one wire.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A camera module comprising:
a housing;
a liquid lens disposed on the housing;
a magnet disposed on the housing;
a base disposed to be spaced apart from the housing;
a substrate disposed on the base and comprising a coil disposed at a position corresponding to that of the magnet;
a plurality of wires connected to the housing and the substrate;
a printed circuit board electrically connected to the substrate; and
a connection part connecting the liquid lens and at least one wire of the plurality of wires,
wherein the liquid lens and the substrate are electrically connected to each other through the connection part and the at least one wire,
wherein the housing comprises a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall disposed opposite to the first lateral wall, and a third lateral wall and a fourth lateral wall disposed opposite to each other between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall,
wherein the magnet comprises a first magnet disposed on the first lateral wall, a second magnet disposed on the second lateral wall, a third magnet disposed on the third lateral wall, and a fourth magnet disposed on the fourth lateral wall,
wherein the coil of the substrate comprises a first coil facing the first magnet, a second coil facing the second magnet, a third coil facing the third magnet, and a fourth coil facing the fourth magnet,
wherein a first Hall sensor is disposed on the substrate at a position corresponding to that of the first magnet or that of the second magnet;
wherein a second Hall sensor is disposed on the substrate at a position corresponding to that of the third magnet or that of the fourth magnet,
wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of terminals, and
wherein the plurality of terminals of the substrate comprise a terminal electrically connected to the liquid lens, a terminal electrically connected to the first coil and the second coil, a terminal electrically connected to the third coil and the fourth coil, a terminal electrically connected to the first Hall sensor, and a terminal electrically connected to the second Hall sensor.

2. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the connection part comprises a conductive line disposed on one surface of the housing,
wherein one end portion of the conductive line is connected to a terminal of the liquid lens, and
wherein the other end portion of the conductive line is connected to the at least one wire.

3. The camera module of claim 2 , wherein the conductive line is printed or formed in a line shape on a surface of the housing, and
wherein the conductive line and the terminal of the liquid lens, and the conductive line and the wire are connected by at least any one of a conductive epoxy and a solder ball.

4. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the liquid lens comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, and
wherein the plurality of wires comprise a first wire connected to the first terminal of the liquid lens and a second wire connected to the second terminal of the liquid lens.

5. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall disposed opposite to the first lateral wall, and a third lateral wall and a fourth lateral wall disposed opposite to each other between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall,
wherein the magnet comprises a first magnet disposed at a first corner where the first lateral wall and the third lateral wall meet, a second magnet disposed at a second corner where the first lateral wall and the fourth lateral wall meet, a third magnet disposed at a third corner where the second lateral wall and the fourth lateral wall meet, and a fourth magnet disposed in a fourth corner where the second lateral wall and the third lateral wall meet, and
wherein the coil of the substrate comprises a first coil facing the first magnet, a second coil facing the second magnet, a third coil facing the third magnet, and a fourth coil facing the fourth magnet.

6. The camera module of claim 1 , comprising:
a cover comprising an upper plate comprising a hole and a lateral plate extending from the upper plate and coupled to the base,
wherein the housing is disposed in a space formed by the cover and the base.

7. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the connection part is formed on a surface of the housing as a conductive line.

8. The camera module of claim 7 , wherein the conductive line is formed by a material different from that of the housing.

9. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terminals of the substrate comprise a total of fourteen terminals, and
wherein the fourteen terminals comprise two terminals electrically connected to the liquid lens, two terminals electrically connected to the first coil and the second coil, two terminals electrically connected to the third coil and the fourth coil, four terminals electrically connected to the first hall sensor, and four terminals electrically connected to the second Hall sensor.

10. The camera module of claim 1 , comprising a holder disposed between the housing and the liquid lens,
wherein the liquid lens comprises a first electrode formed on an upper surface of the liquid lens and a second electrode formed on a lower surface of the liquid lens, and
wherein the holder is provided with a first terminal connecting the first electrode and the connecting part, and a second terminal connecting the second electrode and the connection part.

11. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the liquid lens is fixed to the housing.

12. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the connection part comprises a spring or a plate coupled to the housing.

13. An optical apparatus comprising:
a main body;
the camera module of claim 1 disposed on the main body; and
a display disposed on the main body and configured to output an image photographed by the camera module.

14. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the liquid lens are configured to move together in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis by an interaction between the coil and the magnet when a current is supplied to the coil.

15. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the liquid lens is configured to perform an auto focus function.

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Tae Jin
• Min Sang Jun

Classifications

• G02B13/0075

  having an element with variable optical properties · CPC title

• G02B26/005

  based on electrowetting · CPC title

• G02B2207/115

  Electrowetting · CPC title

• G03B2205/0007

  Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur · CPC title

• G03B13/36

  Autofocus systems · CPC title