Camera lens suspension with limiter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016259178-A1
Application number	US-201615156545-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A suspension assembly for a camera lens element includes a support member with a wire attach structure and a moving member coupled to the support member. The moving member includes a plate, flexure arms extending from the plate and coupled to the support member, and a wire attach structure. A bearing supports the plate of the moving member for movement with respect to the support member. A smart memory alloy wire is coupled to and extends between the wire attach structures of the support member and the moving member. The limiter limits a range of movement of the moving member with respect to the support member, and in embodiments includes an opening in one of the moving member plate and the support member, and a stop that includes an engagement portion extending into the opening in the other of the moving member plate and the support member. The opening has a first diameter, and the engagement portion has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A suspension assembly, comprising:
a support member including a wire attach structure; a moving member coupled to the support member, including:
a plate;
flexure arms extending from the plate and coupled to the support member; and
a wire attach structure;
a bearing supporting the plate of the moving member for movement with respect to the support member; a shape memory alloy wire coupled to and extending between the wire attach structures of the support member and the moving member; and a limiter to limit a range of movement of the moving member with respect to the support member, the limiter including:
an opening in one of the moving member plate and the support member, wherein the opening has a first diameter; and
a stop on the other of the moving member plate and the support member, the stop including an engagement portion extending into the opening, wherein the engagement portion has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.

2 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 wherein the bearing includes:
a spacer portion extending from one of the support member and the plate of the moving member; and
a polymer interface surface portion slidably engaged with the other of the support member and the plate of the moving member.

3 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 wherein the stop further includes a spacer portion, and wherein the engagement portion is on an end of the spacer portion.

4 . The suspension assembly of claim 3 wherein the spacer portion is formed from the support member.

5 . The suspension assembly of claim 4 wherein the bearing includes:
a spacer portion extending from one of the support member and the plate of the moving member; and
a polymer interface surface portion slidably engaged with the other of the support member and the plate of the moving member.

6 . The suspension assembly of claim 3 wherein the spacer portion is formed as a member separate from the support member, and is mounted to the support member.

7 . The suspension assembly of claim 6 wherein the bearing includes:
a spacer portion extending from one of the support member and the plate of the moving member; and
a polymer interface surface portion slidably engaged with the other of the support member and the plate of the moving member.

8 . The suspension assembly of claim 1 wherein the opening is a through hole in the plate of the moving member.

9 . The suspension assembly of claim 8 wherein the bearing includes:
a spacer portion extending from one of the support member and the plate of the moving member; and
a polymer interface surface portion slidably engaged with the other of the support member and the plate of the moving member.

Assignees

• Hutchinson Technology

Inventors

• Miller Mark A

Classifications

• H05K7/1422

  Printed circuit boards receptacles, e.g. stacked structures, electronic circuit modules or box like frames · CPC title

• G02B7/08

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

• H05K1/028

  Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M13/022

  repositionable · CPC title

• G02B27/646 Primary

  compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68) · CPC title