Method and apparatus for driving a polymer actuator to control a lens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9127652-B2
Application number	US-201113205941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2011
Priority date	Aug 16, 2010
Publication date	Sep 8, 2015
Grant date	Sep 8, 2015

Abstract

A driving unit that may improve characteristics in a low temperature environment while implementing downsizing, and a lens module as well as an image pickup device with such a driving unit are provided. The driving unit includes one or a plurality of polymer actuator elements, and a voltage supply section supplying a driving voltage and a heating voltage to the polymer actuator element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driving unit comprising:
one or more polymer actuator elements comprising, respectively, a polymer material;
a voltage supply section configured to supply a driving voltage and a heating voltage, distinct from the driving voltage, to at least one of the one or more polymer actuator elements, wherein a first polymer actuator element of the one or more polymer actuator elements includes a pair of electrode films, and wherein the polymer material of the first polymer actuator element comprises a polymer film between the pair of electrode films;
a first electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films; and
a second electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films and spaced from the first electrode pair, wherein the voltage supply section supplies the driving voltage between the first and second electrodes of the first electrode pair and between the first and second electrodes of the second electrode pair, and wherein the voltage supply section supplies the heating voltage between the first electrodes of the first and second electrode pairs and between the second electrodes of the first and second electrode pairs.

2. The driving unit according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply section is configured to supply the heating voltage in an intra-film direction of each of the electrode films.

3. The driving unit according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a fixing member fixing one end of the first polymer actuator element.

4. The driving unit according to claim 3 , wherein the voltage supply section is configured to supply the heating voltage selectively to a region on the fixing member side in the first polymer actuator element.

5. The driving unit according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a plurality of fixed electrodes disposed on the fixing member side on each of the electrode films, the voltage supply section configured to supply the plurality of fixed electrodes with the heating voltage,
wherein the first polymer actuator element has a first notch section formed from an end on the fixing member side in a region between the plurality of fixed electrodes toward an opposite side thereof, by cutting each film.

6. The driving unit according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a plurality of fixed electrodes disposed on the fixing member side on each of the electrode films, the voltage supply section configured to supply the plurality of fixed electrodes with the heating voltage,
wherein the first polymer actuator element has a second notch section formed from an end on the fixing member side in a region between the plurality of fixed electrodes toward an opposite side thereof, by cutting the pair of electrode films selectively.

7. The driving unit according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a plurality of fixed electrodes disposed on the fixing member side on each of the electrode films, the voltage supply section configured to supply the plurality of fixed electrodes with the heating voltage; and
a wiring making an electrical connection between the plurality of fixed electrodes, from the fixing member side via an opposite side thereof.

8. The driving unit according to claim 3 , wherein the voltage supply section is configured to supply the heating voltage from the fixing member side along an opposite side thereof, in the first polymer actuator element.

9. The driving unit according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply section is configured to supply both the driving voltage and the heating voltage between the pair of electrode films.

10. The driving unit according to claim 9 , wherein the voltage supply section is configured to supply a heating voltage of a high-frequency alternating current voltage, superimposed on the driving voltage.

11. The driving unit according to claim 1 , wherein the heating voltage is an alternating current voltage.

12. The driving unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control section configured to determine whether or not to supply the heating voltage, as well as a magnitude and a waveform of a heating voltage to be supplied, based on an environmental temperature detected directly or indirectly.

13. The driving unit according to claim 1 , wherein the driving unit is configured as a lens driving unit driving a lens.

14. The driving unit according to claim 3 , wherein the first polymer actuator element includes a fixed side and a movable side and wherein the first and second electrode pairs are disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films on the fixed side of the first polymer actuator element.

15. A lens module comprising:
a lens; and
a driving unit driving the lens,
wherein the driving unit includes
one or more polymer actuator elements comprising, respectively, a polymer material,

a voltage supply section configured to supply a driving voltage and a heating voltage, distinct from the driving voltage, to at least one of the one or more polymer actuator elements, wherein a first polymer actuator element of the one or more polymer actuator elements includes a pair of electrode films, and wherein the polymer material of the first polymer actuator element comprises a polymer film between the pair of electrode films;
a first electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films; and
a second electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films and spaced from the first electrode pair, wherein the voltage supply section supplies the driving voltage between the first and second electrodes of the first electrode pair and between the first and second electrodes of the second electrode pair, and wherein the voltage supply section supplies the heating voltage between the first electrodes of the first and second electrode pairs and between the second electrodes of the first and second electrode pairs.

16. The lens module according to claim 15 , wherein the first polymer actuator element includes a fixed side and a movable side and wherein the first and second electrode pairs are disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films on the fixed side of the first polymer actuator element.

17. An image pickup device comprising:
a lens;
an image pickup element acquiring an image pickup signal of image formation by the lens; and
a driving unit driving the lens,
wherein the driving unit includes
one or more polymer actuator elements comprising, respectively, a polymer material,

a voltage supply section configured to supply a driving voltage and a heating voltage, distinct from the driving voltage, to at least one of the one or more polymer actuator elements, wherein a first polymer actuator element of the one or more polymer actuator elements includes a pair of electrode films, and wherein the polymer material of the first polymer actuator element comprises a polymer film between the pair of electrode films;
a first electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films; and
a second electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed on respective electrode films of the pair of electrode films and spaced from the first electrode pair, wherein the voltage supply section supplies the driving voltage between the first and second electrodes of the first electrode pair and between the first and second electrodes of the second

Assignees

• Kato Yusaku
• Ishida Takehisa
• Nagai Nobuyuki
• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Kato Yusaku
• Ishida Takehisa
• Nagai Nobuyuki

Classifications

• G02B13/0025

  having one lens only · CPC title

• G02B7/026 Primary

  using retaining rings or springs (G02B7/027 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B7/102 Primary

  controlled by a microcomputer (cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14) · CPC title

• H01L41/193

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L41/0946

  Electricity · mapped topic