Camera actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12306525-B2
Application number	US-202017631790-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2020
Priority date	Jul 29, 2019
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A camera actuator according to an embodiment includes: a housing; a prism unit disposed in the housing; a driving part tilting the prism unit; a second pivot plate disposed on a side wall of the housing; and a first pivot plate disposed between the second pivot plate and the prism unit, wherein the prism unit includes a pulling magnet, and the prism unit is tilted with respect to a rotation reference axis of the first pivot plate or the second pivot plate while being supported by the housing by attractive force between the pulling magnet and the second pivot plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera actuator comprising:
a housing;
a prism unit disposed in the housing;
a driving part tilting the prism unit; and
a moving plate disposed between the housing and the prism unit;
wherein the prism unit includes:
a prism mover including an accommodating part, and
a prism disposed in the accommodating part of the prism mover,

wherein a pulling magnet that generates attractive force together with the moving plate is disposed on the prism mover,
wherein the prism mover is tilted with respect to a rotation reference axis of the moving plate while being supported by the housing by the attractive force between the moving plate and the pulling magnet, and
wherein the moving plate is composed of a magnetic material.

2. A camera actuator comprising:
a housing;
a prism unit disposed in the housing;
a driving part tilting the prism unit; and
a moving plate disposed between the housing and the prism unit;
wherein the prism unit includes:
a prism mover including an accommodating part, and
a prism disposed in the accommodating part of the prism mover,

wherein a pulling magnet that generates attractive force together with the moving plate is disposed on the prism mover, and
wherein the prism mover is tilted with respect to a rotation reference axis of the moving plate while being supported by the housing by the attractive force between the moving plate and the pulling magnet,
wherein the moving plate includes first and second moving plates,
wherein the second moving plate is disposed fixedly in a recess of the housing, and is composed of the magnetic material in order to generate the attractive force with the pulling magnet, and
wherein the first moving plate is disposed between the prism mover and the second moving plate, and is supported by the housing by the attractive force.

3. The camera actuator of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of first moving protruding portions disposed in a first direction are disposed on one surface of the first moving plate facing the prism mover, and
wherein a plurality of second moving protruding portions disposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction are disposed on one surface of the second moving plate facing the first moving plate.

4. The camera actuator of claim 3 , wherein the prism unit is provided to be rotatable in the second direction with respect to a first virtual line formed by the plurality of first moving protruding portions as a reference axis, and to be rotatable in the first direction with respect to a second virtual line formed by the plurality of second moving protruding portions as a reference axis.

5. The camera actuator of claim 4 , wherein the prism mover includes:
a first recess formed on an outer surface facing one surface of the first moving plate and in which the pulling magnet is disposed; and
a plurality of second recesses spaced apart from each other in the first direction with respect to the first recess and in which the plurality of first moving protruding portions are disposed.

6. The camera actuator of claim 3 ,
wherein the first moving plate includes:
a plurality of first moving recesses formed in the second direction on the other surface facing one surface of the second moving plate and into which the plurality of second moving protruding portions are inserted.

7. The camera actuator of claim 3 , wherein the first moving plate includes a plurality of first auxiliary protruding portions spaced apart from each other in the second direction on the one surface of the first moving plate, and
wherein the second moving plate includes a plurality of second auxiliary protruding portions spaced apart from each other in the first direction on the one surface of the second moving plate.

8. The camera actuator of claim 7 , wherein a rotation range of the prism unit in the second direction is limited by the plurality of first auxiliary protruding portions; and
wherein a rotation range of the prism unit in the first direction is limited by the plurality of second auxiliary protruding portions.

9. The camera actuator of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first moving protruding portions and the plurality of first auxiliary protruding portions are disposed on the one surface of the first moving plate in a cross shape with reference to a first region, and
wherein the plurality of second moving protruding portions and the plurality of second auxiliary protruding portions are disposed on the one surface of the second moving plate in a cross shape with reference to a second region, and
wherein the first and second regions are overlapped with the pulling magnet in a third direction.

10. The camera actuator of claim 2 , wherein the first moving plate or the second moving plate is composed of a magnetic material.

11. A camera actuator comprising:
a housing;
a prism unit disposed in the housing;
a driving part tilting the prism unit;
a first pivot plate disposed on a side wall of the housing; and
a second pivot plate disposed between the first pivot plate and the prism unit,
wherein the prism unit includes a pulling magnet, and the prism unit is tilted with respect to a rotation reference axis of the first pivot plate or the second pivot plate while being supported by the housing by attractive force between the pulling magnet and the first pivot plate, and
wherein the first pivot plate is composed of a magnetic material that generates attractive force together with the pulling magnet.

12. The camera actuator of claim 11 , wherein the second pivot plate is composed of a magnetic material or a non-magnetic material.

13. The camera actuator of claim 11 , wherein the first pivot plate includes a plurality of first pivot protruding portions, and the second pivot plate includes a plurality of second pivot protruding portions.

14. The camera actuator of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of first pivot protruding portions are disposed to be spaced apart in a first direction on one surface of the first pivot plate, and
wherein the plurality of second pivot protruding portions are disposed to be spaced apart in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction on one surface of the second pivot plate.

15. The camera actuator of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of first pivot protruding portions protrude toward the prism unit on one surface of the first pivot plate, and
wherein the plurality of second pivot protruding portions protrude toward the prism unit on one surface of the second pivot plate.

16. The camera actuator of claim 13 , wherein the prism unit includes a first recess in which the pulling magnet is accommodated; and a plurality of second recesses in which the plurality of second pivot protruding portions are accommodated.

17. The camera actuator of claim 16 , wherein the first recess is disposed in a central region between the plurality of second recesses.

18. A camera module comprising:
an optical sensor; and
first and second camera actuators for providing light to the optical sensor,
wherein the second camera actuator changes a path of light incident from the outside to provide light to pass through the first camera actuator,
wherein the light passing through the first camera actuator is provided to the optical sensor,
wherein the second camera actuator comprises:
a housing;
a prism unit disposed in the housing;
a driving part tilting the prism unit;
a first pivot plate disposed on a side wall of the housing; and
a second pivot plate disposed between the first pivot plate and the prism unit,

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sung Guk

Classifications

• 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

• G03B2205/0023

  by tilting or inclining one or more optical elements with respect to the optical axis · CPC title

• H04N23/685

  performed by mechanical compensation · CPC title

• G03B17/17

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

• G03B2205/003

  by a prism with variable angle or the like · CPC title