Folded camera with continuously adaptive zoom factor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12379648-B2
Application number	US-202418957780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2024
Priority date	Dec 1, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

Folded Tele cameras comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding a first optical path OP 1 to a second optical path OP 2 , a lens including N=8 lens elements, the lens being divided into three lens groups numbered, in order from an object side of the lens, G 1 , G 2 and G 3 , and an image sensor, wherein G 1 and G 3 are included in a single G 13 carrier, wherein G 2 is included in a G 2 carrier, wherein both the G 13 carrier and the G 2 carrier include rails for defining the position of G 2 relative to G 13 , wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor continuously between a minimum zoom factor ZF MIN and a maximum zoom factor ZF MAX by moving the G 2 carrier relative to the G 13 carrier and by moving the G 13 carrier relative to the image sensor, and wherein an effective focal length (EFL) is 7.5 mm<EFL<50 mm. The G 2 carrier may be positioned by a lens transporter within the G 13 carrier at a particular zoom factor to form a lens pair to enable optical investigation and/or transporting of the lens pair.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera, comprising:
an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding a first optical path (OP 1 ) to a second optical path (OP 2 );
a lens including N lens elements, wherein the lens is divided, in order from an object side of the lens, into three lens groups numbered G 1 , G 2 and G 3 ; and
an image sensor,
wherein the camera is a folded Tele camera, wherein the folded Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor (ZF) continuously between a minimal zoom factor ZF MIN and a maximal zoom factor ZF MAX by moving G 1 and G 3 together relative to G 2 and relative to the image sensor, and wherein an effective focal length (EFL) fulfills 7.5 mm<EFL<50 mm.

2. The camera of claim 1 , wherein G 1 and G 3 are included in a single G 13 carrier, wherein G 2 is included in a G 2 carrier, and wherein both the G 13 carrier and the G 2 carrier include rails for defining the position of G 2 relative to G 13 .

3. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the camera is further configured to change the ZF by moving G 2 relative to the image sensor.

4. The camera of claim 3 , wherein for switching from ZF MIN and ZF MAX , the movement of G 1 and G 3 together relative to G 2 is over a stroke larger than 2 mm and smaller than 15 mm, and wherein the movement of G 2 with respect to the image sensor is over a stroke larger than 0.1 mm and smaller than 5 mm.

5. The camera of claim 3 , wherein for switching from ZF MIN and ZF MAX , the movement of G 1 and G 3 together relative to G 2 is over a stroke larger than 4 mm and smaller than 10 mm, and wherein the movement of G 2 with respect to the image sensor is over a stroke larger than 0.1 mm and smaller than 2 mm.

6. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the folded Tele camera is configured to be focused by moving lens groups G 1 +G 2 +G 3 together as one lens.

7. The camera of claim 1 , wherein N=8.

8. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the folded Tele camera is included in a camera module having a module height HM, wherein the lens has a lens aperture height HA, wherein both HM and HA are measured along an axis parallel to OP 1 , and wherein H M <H A +3 mm.

9. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the lens is a cut lens with a cut lens aperture height H A-CUT measured along an axis parallel to OP 1 and with a lens aperture width W A measured along an axis perpendicular to both OP 1 and OP 2 , and wherein W A is larger than H A-CUT by between 5% and 50%.

10. The camera of claim 1 , wherein lens groups G 1 and G 2 include 3 lens elements and wherein lens group G 3 includes 2 lens elements.

11. The camera of claim 1 , wherein lens groups G 1 and G 2 have positive lens power and wherein lens group G 3 has negative lens power.

12. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the EFL is switched continuously between a minimal effective focal length EFL MIN corresponding to ZF MIN and a maximal effective focal length EFL MAX corresponding to ZF MAX , and wherein a ratio EFL MAX /EFL MIN ≥1.5.

13. The camera of claim 12 , wherein EFL MIN is in the range of 7.5 mm-25 mm and wherein EFL MAX is in the range of 20 mm-50 mm.

14. The camera of claim 12 , wherein a maximal lens stroke S of G 13 is required for switching from EFL MIN to EFL MAX or vice versa, wherein a ratio R is given by R=(EFL MAX -EFL MIN )/S, and wherein R>1.75.

15. The camera of claim 14 , wherein R>2.

16. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the folded Tele camera has an aperture diameter DA, and wherein DA does not depend on the EFL.

17. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the folded Tele camera has an aperture diameter DA, a f number f/#and a minimal effective focal length EFL MIN corresponding to ZF MIN , wherein a minimal f number f/#MIN=EFL MIN /DA, and wherein f/#=f/# MIN + (EFL-EFL MIN )/DA.

18. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the folded Tele camera has an aperture diameter DA, a minimal f number f/#MIN and a minimal EFL corresponding to ZF MIN is EFL MIN , wherein f/#MIN=EFL MIN /DA and wherein f/# MIN is <3.

19. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the OPFE is a prism.

20. The camera of claim 19 , wherein the prism is a cut prism with a prism optical height H P-CUT measured along an axis parallel to OP 1 and a prism optical width W P measured along an axis perpendicular to both OP 1 and OP 2 , and wherein W P is larger than H P-CUT by between 5% and 30%.

21. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the folded Tele camera is included in a smartphone.

Assignees

• Corephotonics Ltd

Inventors

• Boltanski Rami
• Goldenberg Ephraim
• Rudnick Roy

Classifications

• H04N23/69 Primary

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• G02B15/143103

  arranged ++- · 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

• G03B2205/0046

  Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming · CPC title