Compact folded camera structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12372856-B2
Application number	US-202418957778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2024
Priority date	Nov 23, 2017
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

Folded cameras and dual folded-upright cameras that reduce a mobile electronic device and specifically a smartphone bump footprint and height. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section of the folded camera. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section and a lens subsection of the folded camera.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A folded camera module, comprising:
a lens including a first lens element L 1 , a second lens elements L 2 , a third lens element L 3 , . . . to and including a last lens element L N , the first lens element L 1 being closest to an object to be photographed;
an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding an optical path from a first direction to a second direction; and
an image sensor,
wherein the folded camera module comprises a first module section that includes the OPFE and L 1 and has a first module section height H 1 ,
wherein the folded camera module comprises a second module section that includes lens elements L 2 -L N and has a second module section height H 2 , all heights measured along the first direction,
wherein H 1 >H 2 ,
and wherein L 1 has a lens element diameter D 1 that is larger than a lens diameter of any of the lens elements L 2 -L N .

2. The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is included in the second module section.

3. The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the folded camera module comprises a third module section that includes the image sensor and has a third module section height H 3 along the first direction.

4. The folded camera module of claim 3 , wherein H 3 ≤H 2 .

5. The folded camera module of claim 3 , wherein H 3 is smaller than H 2 by 0.05-3 mm.

6. The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lens elements has a shape that does not have radial symmetry.

7. The folded camera module of claim 1 , included in a dual-aperture camera together with an upright camera.

8. The folded camera module of claim 7 , wherein the upright camera has an upright camera optical axis parallel to the first direction.

9. The folded camera module of claim 7 , included in a mobile electronic device.

10. The folded camera module of claim 9 , wherein the mobile electronic device is a smartphone.

11. The folded camera module of claim 9 , wherein the mobile electronic device is a tablet.

12. The folded camera module of claim 1 , included in a mobile electronic device.

13. The folded camera module of claim 12 , comprising a bump on a surface of the mobile electronic device, wherein the bump surrounds an area including the folded camera module and wherein at least one bump dimension is defined by a folded camera module dimension.

14. The folded camera module of claim 13 , wherein the bump has a length L B defined along the second direction, wherein the dual-aperture camera has a length L DC defined along the second direction, and wherein L B <L DC .

15. The folded camera module of claim 12 , wherein the mobile electronic device is a smartphone.

16. The folded camera module of claim 12 , wherein the mobile electronic device is a tablet.

17. A folded camera module, comprising:
a lens including a first lens element L 1 , a second lens elements L 2 , a third lens element L 3 , . . . to and including a last lens element L N , the first lens element L 1 being closest to an object to be photographed;
an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding an optical path from a first direction to a second direction; and
an image sensor,
wherein the folded camera module comprises a first module section that includes the OPFE and L 1 and has a first module section height H 1 ,
wherein the folded camera module comprises a second module section that includes lens elements L 2 -L N and has a second module section height H 2 , all heights measured along the first direction,
wherein H 1 >H 2 ,
and wherein L 1 has a lens element diameter D 1 that is larger than a lens diameter of any of the lens elements L 2 -L N by 0.05 mm-3 mm.

18. A folded camera module, comprising:
a lens including a first lens element L 1 , a second lens elements L 2 , a third lens element L 3 , . . . to and including a last lens element L N , the first lens element L 1 being closest to an object to be photographed;
an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding an optical path from a first direction to a second direction; and
an image sensor,
wherein the folded camera module comprises a first module section that includes the OPFE and L 1 and has a first module section height H 1 ,
wherein the folded camera module comprises a second module section that includes lens elements L 2 -L N and has a second module section height H 2 , all heights measured along the first direction,
wherein H 1 >H 2 ,
wherein L 1 has a lens element diameter D 1 that is larger than a lens diameter of any of the lens elements L 2 -L N , and wherein the folded camera module has a height in the range of 3 mm-8 mm.

19. The folded camera module of claim 18 , wherein the height is in the range of 5 mm-6 mm.

Assignees

• Corephotonics Ltd

Inventors

• Shabtay Gal
• Goldenberg Ephraim
• Yedid Itay
• Bachar Gil
• Cohen Noy

Classifications

• H04M1/0264

  for a camera module assembly · CPC title

• G03B15/03

  Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units · CPC title

• G02B7/021

  for more than one lens · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• H04N23/54

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