Camera device methods, apparatus and components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016306168-A1
Application number	US-201514876775-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Apr 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for implementing optical chains, e.g., camera modules, which can be used in a camera device are described as well as camera devices including multiple camera modules. In various embodiments one or more camera modules include mirror assemblies which support a movable mirror. The mirror is driven in some embodiments by a linear actuator, e.g., piezo electric actuator with the linear motion of the actuator's push rod being converted into angular mirror rotation by use of hinge, e.g., pivot on which the mirror is mounted. A return spring provide a force contrary to that provided by the actuator. A recess is included in a mounting board to allow the bottom of the mirror or a portion of the mirror mounting hinge to be placed below the surface of the mounting board to which the camera module is secured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A camera device, comprising:
a first optical chain including:
a first moveable mirror assembly;
a first mirror support;
a first pivot attached to said first mirror assembly and inserted into said first mirror support allowing said first mirror assembly to rotate with respect to said first mirror support; and
a first linear actuator for exerting a linear force on a first portion of said first mirror assembly to control rotation of said first mirror assembly.

2 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein the first optical chain further includes:
a first drive rod for transferring linear force generated by said first linear actuator onto said first portion of the first mirror assembly.

3 . The camera device of claim 2 , wherein the first drive rod makes contact with said first portion of said first mirror assembly and presses against said first portion of said first mirror assembly but is not attached to said first portion of said first mirror assembly.

4 . The camera device of claim 3 , wherein the first optical chain further includes:
a first return spring in contact with a second portion of said first mirror assembly, said first return spring excerpting a force contrary to the force of said first linear actuator.

5 . The camera device of claim 3 , wherein said first mirror assembly includes a first mirror support cradle in which a first mirror is mounted, said first portion of said first mirror assembly being a lower portion of said first mirror assembly and the second portion of said first mirror assembly being an upper portion of said first mirror assembly.

6 . The camera device of claim 5 , wherein said spring includes a flat piece of spring metal inserted into a first spring retaining slot in the second portion of said first mirror assembly.

7 . The camera device of claim 6 , wherein said first optical chain further includes:
a hall sensor for sensing a position of said mirror assembly relative to the hall sensor.

8 . The camera device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a mounting board, said mounting board including a first opening through which light can pass and reach said first mirror.

9 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein said mounting board includes a recess cut into said mounting board, said first mirror extending below a surface of said mounting board and into said recess when positioned at some angles to which said first mirror assembly can be driven by said first linear actuator.

10 . The camera device of claim 9 ,
wherein said first mirror is a plane mirror; wherein said first optical chain further includes:
a first lens barrel assembly;
a first sensor board; and
a first sensor mounted to said first sensor board.

11 . The camera device of claim 10 , wherein said first lens barrel assembly includes one or more lenses for directly light reflected from said first mirror onto the first sensor.

12 . The camera device of claim 11 , wherein components which form said first optical chain are secured together to form a first mountable camera module, at least some of said components which form said first optical chain include threaded screw holes for receiving mounting screws which may can extend through said rigid mounting board and inserted into said threaded screw holes to secure said first mountable camera module to said rigid mounting board.

13 . The camera device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor mounting board; and a first flexible printed circuit tape coupled to said sensor mounting board for receiving sensor output of said first sensor and communicating it to a processor in said camera device.

14 . The camera device of claim 1 , wherein said linear actuator is a piezo electric linear actuator.

15 . The camera device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second optical chain including:
a second moveable mirror assembly;
a second mirror support,
a second pivot attached to said second mirror assembly and inserted into said second mirror support allowing said second mirror assembly to rotate with respect to said second mirror support; and
a second linear actuator for exerting a linear force on a first portion of said second mirror assembly to control rotation of said second mirror assembly.

16 . A mirror assembly for use in a camera device, the mirror assembly including:
a linear actuator; a mirror support mounted on a pivot; and a drive rod connected to said actuator for driving said mirror support.

17 . The mirror assembly of claim 16 ,
wherein said mirror support is a mirror support cradle; and wherein the linear actuator is a piezo electric actuator.

18 . The mirror assembly of claim 16 further including a hall sensor for detecting a mirror position.

19 . The mirror assembly of claim 18 , further comprising:
a return spring excerpting pressure on said mirror support in a direction contrary to the direction exerted by said linear actuator.

20 . A camera module including the mirror assembly of claim 16 , and further including:
a lens barrel; a rigid mounting board to which said mirror assembly is mounted, said rigid mounting board including a recess allowing a portion of said mirror to extend below the surface of said mounting board, said recess corresponding to a thin area of said rigid mounting board adjacent a hole through which light can pass through said rigid mounting board and be reflected by the mirror into said lens barrel.

Assignees

• Lightco Inc

Inventors

• Singh Harpuneet
• Schmieder James
• Shroff Sapna A

Classifications

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/45

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/58

  Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors · CPC title

• H04N5/2257

  Electricity · mapped topic