Multi-aperture cameras with at least one two state zoom camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12464242-B2
Application number	US-202519208765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2025
Priority date	Jan 3, 2019
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Multi-cameras and in particular dual-cameras comprising a Wide camera comprising a Wide lens and a Wide image sensor, the Wide lens having a Wide effective focal length EFL W and a folded Tele camera comprising a Tele lens with a first optical axis, a Tele image sensor and an OPFE, wherein the Tele lens includes, from an object side to an image side, a first lens element group G1, a second lens element group G2 and a third lens element group G3, wherein at least two of the lens element groups are movable relative to the image sensor along the first optical axis to bring the Tele lens to two zoom states, wherein an effective focal length (EFL) of the Tele lens is changed from EFL T,min in one zoom state to EFL T,max in the other zoom state, wherein EFL Tmin >1.5×EFL W and wherein EFL Tmax >1.5×EFL Tmin .

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A folded camera module, comprising:
a lens comprising a plurality of (N) lens elements divided from an object side to an image side into a first lens element group (G1), a second lens element group (G2), and a third lens element group (G3); an image sensor; and an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light entering the folded camera module via a first optical path (OP1) towards a second optical path (OP2); wherein G2 is stationary, wherein G1 and G3 are movable together as one unit relative to the image sensor and to G2 to bring the lens to two zoom states, wherein the lens has an effective focal length (EFL) that varies from a minimal value (EFL min ) in a first zoom state to a maximal value (EFL max ) in a second zoom state, wherein EFL max ≥1.5×EFL max , and wherein the EFL is in the range of 10 mm to 40 mm.

2 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the EFL is in the range of 10 mm to 30 mm.

3 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the lens elements have a maximum clear aperture height (CA) measured along OP1, wherein the folded camera module has a folded camera module height (HM) measured along OP1, and wherein HM≤CA+3.5 mm.

4 . The folded camera module of claim 3 , wherein H M ≤CA+3 mm.

5 . The folded camera module of claim 3 , wherein H M ≤CA+2 mm.

6 . The folded camera module of claim 3 , wherein H M ≤CA+1.3 mm.

7 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the lens has a f-number (F #) and wherein a minimal value (F #min) of F #fulfills F # min <3.

8 . The folded camera module of claim 7 , wherein F # min <2.5.

9 . The folded camera module of claim 7 , wherein F # min <2.25.

10 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein G1 has a positive lens power, G2 has a positive lens power, and G3 has a negative lens power.

11 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein N=8.

12 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the OPFE is a prism.

13 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the OPFE is a mirror.

14 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the lens has a lens optical axis, wherein the moving of G1 and G3 together is along the lens optical axis, and wherein the movement of G1, G2 and G3 is guided by a ball guided mechanism that creates a linear rail.

15 . The folded camera module of claim 14 , wherein the ball guided mechanism includes at least one groove on a G2 lens carrier, at least one groove on a G1+G3 lens carrier, and a plurality of balls positioned between the at least one groove on the G2 lens carrier and the at least one groove on the G1+G3 lens carrier.

16 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein a first lens element (L1) the plurality of lens elements faces an object side and has a maximum clear aperture height (CA) measured along OP larger than a CA value of any other of the lens elements.

17 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein for any lens element group, movement from the first zoom state to the second zoom state has a range smaller than 0.6×(EFL max −EFL min ).

18 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the lens has a total track length (TTL) and wherein a maximal value (TTL max ) of the TTL fulfills the condition TTL max <EFL max .

19 . The folded camera module of claim 1 , wherein the folded camera module is included in a mobile device.

20 . The folded camera module of claim 19 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

Assignees

• Corephotonics Ltd

Inventors

• Shabtay Gal
• Goldenberg Ephraim
• Rudnick Roy
• Dror Michael
• Bachar Gil
• Bronstein Emil
• Yedid Itay

Classifications

• 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

• G03B3/10

  Power-operated focusing · CPC title

• G02B13/02

  Telephoto objectives, i.e. systems of the type + - in which the distance from the front vertex to the image plane is less than the equivalent focal length · CPC title

• G02B15/143103

  arranged ++- · CPC title