Camera apparatus, SMA driving device and manufacturing method, driving method and wiring method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12353050-B2
Application number	US-201917266437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2018
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a camera apparatus, an SMA driving device and a manufacturing method, a driving method and a wiring method, wherein the SMA driving device further comprises a lens carrier, at least one upgoing driver, and at least one downgoing driver; wherein the lens carrier is connected to the upgoing driver, and the upgoing driver supports the lens carrier upwardly in a thermally driven manner, and pulls the lens carrier to move upward; wherein the lens carrier is connected to the downgoing driver, and the downgoing driver draws the lens carrier downwardly in a thermally driven manner, and pulls the lens carrier to move downward; and wherein the lens is disposed on the lens carrier of the SMA driving device, and the SMA driving device drives the lens to move up and down, thereby improving the focusing speed of the lens.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shape memory alloy (SMA) driving device, comprising:
a lens carrier;
at least one upgoing driver, wherein the lens carrier is connected to the upgoing driver and is drivable by the upgoing driver, and the upgoing driver supports the lens carrier upwardly in a thermally driven manner, and pulls the lens carrier to move upward; and
at least one downgoing driver, wherein the lens carrier is connected to the downgoing driver and is drivable by the downgoing driver, and the downgoing driver supports the lens carrier downwardly in a thermally driven manner, and pulls the lens carrier to move downward;
wherein the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver include a plurality of SMA lines disposed on lateral sides of the lens carrier and a plurality of bending members extending outwardly from the lateral sides of the lens carrier, and each SMA line is hooked over each bending member;
wherein the SMA driving device further comprises a plurality of spacer apparatuses, wherein the spacer apparatuses are formed by integrally extending outwardly from the lateral sides of the lens carrier, and the spacer apparatuses protrude outwardly relative to positions of the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the SMA driving device, wherein each bending member and each spacer apparatus are formed by integrally extending outwardly from each of lateral side surfaces of the lens carrier;
wherein each spacer apparatus is located between one bending member and an end of one SMA line, and at least one spacer apparatus and one bending member located on each lateral side surface which is parallel to the optical axis direction, and the spacer apparatuses limit the SMA lines of the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver from contacting an inner wall of a housing, which is used for receiving the SMA driving device.

2. The SMA driving device according to claim 1 , wherein in an initial state, the lens carrier is supported upwardly by the upgoing driver and drawn downwardly by the downgoing driver, and is held at an intermediate position, and wherein the lens carrier can be moved up and down based on the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver.

3. The SMA driving device according to claim 2 , wherein the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver provide the lens carrier with a force in a manner of being driven by electric heating, and wherein the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver support the lens carrier at the intermediate position in a case of being powered on, and drive the lens carrier to move.

4. The SMA driving device according to claim 2 , wherein the upgoing driver comprises at least one upgoing driving unit and at least one upper bending member, wherein the upper bending member is disposed on the lens carrier, and wherein the upgoing driving unit is connected to the upper bending member, and the upgoing driving unit provides the lens carrier with an upward force through the upper bending member, so that the upper bending member drives the lens carrier upwardly to move.

5. The SMA driving device according to claim 4 , wherein the downgoing driver comprises at least one downgoing driving unit and at least one lower bending member, wherein the lower bending member is disposed on the lens carrier, and wherein the downgoing driving unit is drivingly connected to the lower bending member, and the downgoing driving unit provides the lens carrier with a downward force through the lower bending member, so that the lower bending member drives the lens carrier downwardly to move.

6. The SMA driving device according to claim 5 , wherein the upper bending member and the lower bending member are formed by integrally extending outwardly from an outer edge of the lens carrier.

7. The SMA driving device according to claim 2 , wherein the upgoing driver comprises at least one upgoing driving unit and at least one upper actuator, wherein the upper actuator is disposed below the lens carrier, and wherein the upgoing driving unit is drivingly connected to the upper actuator, and the upgoing driving unit provides the lens carrier with an upward force through the upper actuator, so that the upper actuator drives the lens carrier upwardly to move.

8. The SMA driving device according to claim 7 , wherein the downgoing driver comprises at least one downgoing driving unit and at least one lower actuator, wherein the lower actuator is disposed above the lens carrier, and wherein the downgoing driving unit is drivingly connected to the lower actuator, and the downgoing driving unit provides the lens carrier with a downward force through the lower actuator, so that the lower actuator drives the lens carrier downwardly to move.

9. The SMA driving device according to claim 8 , wherein the upper actuator further comprises an upper actuator main body and at least one upper hook, wherein the upper hook is disposed on a side of the upper actuator main body, wherein the upper hook is formed by integrally extending upwardly from an outer side of the upper actuator main body, and wherein the upgoing driving unit applies an upward force to the upper actuator main body through the upper hook, so that the upper actuator main body drives the lens carrier to move upward.

10. The SMA driving device according to claim 9 , wherein the lower actuator further comprises a lower actuator main body and at least one lower hook, wherein the lower hook is disposed on a side of the lower actuator main body, wherein the lower hook is formed by integrally extending downwardly from an outer side of the lower actuator main body, and wherein the downgoing driving unit applies a downward force to the lower actuator main body through the lower hook, so that the lower actuator main body drives the lens carrier to move downward.

11. The SMA driving device according to claim 2 , wherein the SMA driving device further comprises a supporting base, and wherein the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver are mounted on the supporting base, and the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver are supported by means of the supporting base.

12. A manufacturing method of a shape memory alloy (SMA) driving device, wherein the manufacturing method comprises the following steps:
(a) placing a lens carrier in an intermediate position, so that the lens carrier can be driven to move up and down;
(b) disposing at least one upgoing driver and at least one downgoing driver on the lens carrier, so that the lens carrier is driven by means of the upgoing driver to move upward, and the lens carrier is driven by means of the downgoing driver to move downward;
wherein the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver include a plurality of SMA lines disposed on lateral sides of the lens carrier and a plurality of bending members extending outwardly from the lateral sides of the lens carrier, and each SMA line is hooked over each bending member;
wherein the SMA driving device further comprises a plurality of spacer apparatuses, wherein the spacer apparatuses are formed by integrally extending outwardly from the lateral sides of the lens carrier, and the spacer apparatuses protrude outwardly relative to positions of the upgoing driver and the downgoing driver in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the SMA driving device, wherein each bending member and each spacer apparatus are formed by integrally extending outwardly from each of lateral side surfaces of the lens carrier;
wherein each spacer apparatus is located between one bending member and an end of one SMA line, and at least one spacer apparatus and one bending member located on each lateral side surface which is parallel to the optical axis

Assignees

• Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Que Jiayao
• Chen Zhenyu
• Fang Yinli
• Tu Hongde
• Wang Qi
• Sun Xiaoyang
• Zhou Kailun
• Ding Hailing

Classifications

• F03G7/0614

  using shape memory elements · CPC title

• G02B7/08

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title

• G03B13/36

  Autofocus systems · 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