Camera module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021181460-A1
Application number	US-202017082350-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2020
Priority date	Dec 13, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A camera module includes: an optical path folding member configured to refract or reflect light incident along a first optical axis in a direction of a second optical axis intersecting the first optical axis; a driving assembly configured to provide driving force to rotate the optical path folding member on a plane intersecting the first optical axis; and a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing supporting the optical path folding member such that the optical path folding member is enabled to rotate on the plane. A distance from the first ball bearing to the first optical axis is less than a distance from the second ball bearing to the first optical axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A camera module, comprising:
an optical path folding member configured to refract or reflect light incident along a first optical axis in a direction of a second optical axis intersecting the first optical axis; a driving assembly configured to provide driving force to rotate the optical path folding member on a plane intersecting the first optical axis; and a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing supporting the optical path folding member such that the optical path folding member is enabled to rotate on the plane, wherein a distance from the first ball bearing to the first optical axis is less than a distance from the second ball bearing to the first optical axis.

2 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the first ball bearing is disposed to coincide with the first optical axis.

3 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the second ball bearing comprises a plurality of second ball bearings disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction around the first optical axis.

4 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the driving assembly and the second ball bearing are disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction around the first optical axis.

5 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the driving assembly is disposed in a left-right symmetrical manner, centered on the second optical axis.

6 . The camera module of claim 5 , wherein the driving assembly comprises:
a magnet member configured to rotate integrally with the optical path folding member; and a coil member disposed on the plane.

7 . The camera module of claim 6 , wherein a polarity of the magnet member is formed in a left-right asymmetrical manner, centered on the second optical axis.

8 . The camera module of claim 6 , wherein the magnet member comprises a left magnet member and a right magnet member, and the coil member comprises a left coil member and a right coil member, and
the first ball bearing is located on a virtual straight line connecting winding centers of the left coil member and the right coil member.

9 . The camera module of claim 6 , wherein a distance from the first optical axis to a winding center of the coil member is less than a distance from the first optical axis to the second ball bearing.

10 . The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising a lens module including one or more lenses, and configured to image light emitted from the optical path folding member on an image sensor.

11 . A camera module, comprising:
an optical path folding member configured to refract or reflect light incident along a first optical axis in a direction of a second optical axis intersecting the first optical axis; a first movable body disposed on a fixed body, and configured to rotate in a first planar direction intersecting the first optical axis; a second movable body disposed on the first movable body, receiving the optical path folding means, and configured to rotate in a second planar direction including the first optical axis and the second optical axis; and a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing configured to support the first movable body to rotate in the first planar direction with respect to the fixed body, wherein the first ball bearing forms a center of rotation of the first movable body.

12 . The camera module of claim 11 , further comprising a third ball bearing disposed between the first movable body and the second movable body.

13 . The camera module of claim 11 , further comprising a first driving assembly disposed between the fixed body and the first movable body, and configured to provide driving force to rotate the first movable body in the first planar direction.

14 . The camera module of claim 11 , further comprising a second driving assembly disposed between the fixed body and the second movable body, and configured to provide driving force to rotate the second movable body in the second planar direction.

15 . The camera module of claim 13 , wherein the first driving assembly comprises:
a first magnet member disposed on the first movable body, and disposed in a left-right symmetrical manner, centered on the second optical axis; and a first coil member disposed on the fixed body, and disposed to face the first magnet member.

16 . The camera module of claim 15 , wherein the first magnet member has a polarity formed in a left-right asymmetrical manner, centered on the first ball bearing.

17 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
a housing; a prism module disposed in the housing and comprising:
a movable body; and
a prism retained by the moving member, and configured to refract or reflect light incident along a first optical axis in a direction of a second optical axis intersecting the first optical axis;
a magnet member disposed on the movable body; a coil member disposed on a surface of the housing and configured to interact with the magnet member to rotate the movable body on a first plane intersecting the first optical axis; and a first ball bearing and a second ball bearing disposed on the surface of the housing, and supporting the movable body to rotate on the first plane, wherein a distance from the first ball bearing to the first optical axis is less than a distance from the second ball bearing to the first optical axis.

18 . The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the magnet member comprises two magnet members spaced apart from the second optical axis in opposite directions, and
wherein the coil member comprises two coil members spaced apart from the second optical axis in the opposite directions.

19 . The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the first ball bearing is located on a virtual straight line connecting winding centers of the coil members.

20 . The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the second ball bearing comprises two second ball bearings configured to move orbitally in guide grooves on the surface of the housing.

Assignees

• Samsung Electro Mech

Inventors

• Lee Kyung Hun
• Jeong Bong Won
• Seo Bo Sung

Classifications

• G03B30/00

  Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles · CPC title

• G03B2205/0007

  Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur · CPC title

• G03B5/00

  Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing · CPC title

• G03B2205/0069

  using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils · CPC title

• G03B2205/003

  by a prism with variable angle or the like · CPC title