Camera module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9900483-B2
Application number	US-201615381302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 3, 2010
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera module, the module including: a PCB; an image sensor mounted on the PCB and formed with an image pickup device; a base mounted on the PCB and including a plated portion formed at a lower center with an opening mounted with an IR filter; a lower spring plate formed with a conductive material; a spacer arranged on an upper surface of the lower spring plate and forming a staircase structure by a rib wrapping a periphery of the lower spring plate to supportively apply a pressure to the lower spring plate; a lens actuator including a bobbin, and a yoke; an upper spring plate coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator; and a cover arranged on an upper surface of the upper spring plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera module, the camera module comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB);
an image sensor mounted on the PCB;
a base mounted on the PCB and including a lower plate portion with an opening, and a first pillar portion formed on a corner of the lower plate portion;
an infrared (IR) filter coupled to the base;
a lens actuator including a bobbin, a coil arranged around the bobbin, and a yoke wrapping the periphery of the bobbin;
a lens assembly coupled to the bobbin and configured to move in a vertical direction;
a cover including an upper plate formed with a hole and a second pillar portion formed at a corner of the upper plate of the cover to be coupled to the first pillar portion of the base;
an upper spring disposed between the cover and the lens actuator; and
a lower spring including a first spring and a second spring separated from the first spring, wherein the lower spring is coupled to the base;
wherein the lower spring is insulated from the yoke of the lens actuator;
wherein the yoke is pinched by the base and the cover to expose a lateral surface thereof out of the cover between the mutually coupled first pillar portion of the base and the second pillar portion of the cover;
wherein a portion of the first pillar portion is formed in a staircase that has a large horizontal cross section portion and a small horizontal cross section portion integrally extended from the large horizontal cross section portion; and
wherein a portion of the second pillar portion is formed in a staircase that has a large horizontal cross section portion and a small horizontal cross section portion integrally extended from the large horizontal cross section portion.

2. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein each of the first spring and the second spring includes an inner elastic unit coupled to the bobbin, an outer elastic unit coupled to the base, and a connection elastic unit connecting the inner elastic unit and the outer elastic unit.

3. The camera module of claim 2 , wherein the first spring includes a first extension portion integrally formed by being bent from a portion of the outer elastic unit of the first spring, and the second spring includes a second extension portion integrally formed by being bent from a portion of the outer elastic unit of the second spring.

4. The camera module of claim 3 , wherein the first extension portion is inserted into a first hole of the base and the second extension portion is inserted into a second hole of the base.

5. The camera module of claim 4 , wherein the first extension portion includes a first terminal electrically connected to the PCB, and the second extension portion includes a second terminal electrically connected to the PCB.

6. The camera module of claim 3 , wherein the first and second springs are formed in a mutually symmetrical structure.

7. The camera module of claim 2 , wherein the connection elastic units of the first spring and the second spring are each spaced apart from an upper surface of the base and an inner surface of the upper plate of the cover at a predetermined distance in a vertical direction along or parallel to an optical axis.

8. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second springs is formed with a terminal protruded toward the PCB to provide a power to the coil,
wherein the lower spring is disposed between the lower plate portion of the base and a lower portion of the yoke, and
wherein the upper spring is disposed between an upper portion of the yoke and a lower portion of the cover.

9. The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising a shield can accommodating the lens actuator at an inner space thereof, wherein a bottom portion of the shield can is coupled to an upper surface of the PCB.

10. The camera module of claim 9 , wherein the bottom portion of the shield can is bonded to the upper surface of the PCB by an adhesive.

11. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second springs is connected to a power line of a different polarity.

12. The camera module of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and the second springs is opposite to the other.

13. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein a spacer is arranged under the yoke and exposed at a lateral surface of the cover between the base and the yoke.

14. A mobile phone, comprising the camera module according to claim 1 .

15. A camera module, the camera module comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB);
an image sensor mounted on the PCB;
a base mounted on the PCB and including a lower plate portion with an opening, and a lower pillar portion erected at a corner portion of the lower plate portion;
an infrared (IR) filter coupled to the base;
a lens actuator including a bobbin, a coil disposed around the bobbin, and a yoke mounted with a magnet at a position arranged opposite to the coil;
a lens assembly accommodated inside the bobbin and configured to move in a vertical direction;
a lower spring having an elastic support portion and coupled to the bobbin;
an upper spring having an elastic support portion and coupled to the bobbin and disposed between an upper portion of the yoke and a lower portion of the cover;
a terminal electrically connecting the lower spring and the PCB, and arranged at the base; and
a cover including an upper plate portion formed with an upper hole, and an upper pillar portion perpendicularly formed on a corner of the upper plate portion to be coupled to the lower pillar portion of the base;
wherein the base and the cover are coupled at the corner portion, and the yoke is exposed from a space formed by the lower pillar portion of the base and the upper pillar portion of the cover;
wherein the lower spring is divided into a pair and formed with a metal conductor to be electrically connected to a circuit of the PCB, and the lower spring is arranged between the lower plate portion of the base and a lower portion of the yoke, and the lower spring is insulated from the yoke of the lens actuator;
wherein a portion of the upper pillar portion is formed in a staircase that has a large horizontal cross section portion and a small horizontal cross section portion integrally extended from the large horizontal cross section portion; and
wherein a portion of the lower pillar portion is formed in a staircase that has a large horizontal cross section portion and a small horizontal cross section portion integrally extended from the large horizontal cross section portion.

16. The camera module of claim 15 , wherein the lower spring includes a first spring and a second spring separated from the first spring, and wherein each of the first spring and the second spring includes an inner elastic unit coupled to the bobbin, an outer elastic unit coupled to the base, and a connection elastic unit connecting the inner elastic unit and the outer elastic unit.

17. The camera module of claim 16 , wherein the lower spring is disposed on the base; and wherein the connection elastic unit of the first spring and the connection elastic unit of the second spring are each spaced apart from the upper surface of the base at a predetermined distance in a vertical direction along or parallel to an optical axis.

18. The camera module of claim 15 , wherein the lower spring is formed of a metal, and wherein the terminal is integrally formed with the lower spring.

19. The camera module of claim 15 , wherein the base is formed with a square-shaped opening at a center thereof, and wherein a filter is disposed over the image sensor.

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oh Youngtaek

Classifications

• H04N23/57

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

• H04N23/54 Primary

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/55

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

• G03B2205/0069

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