Optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9900486-B2
Application number	US-201615084011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

An optical device includes a lens assembly that performs a forward/backward movement in an optical axis direction. The optical device also includes at least one first driving device that generates a first driving force that causes the lens assembly to perform the forward/backward movement in the optical axis direction. The optical device further includes at least one second driving device that generates a second driving force in a direction that is opposite to the moving direction of the lens assembly. The second driving force may be formed to be equal to or smaller than the first driving force so that the reciprocating amplitude of the lens assembly may be reduced when the lens assembly reciprocates before and after the focusing position. The optical device as described above may be variously implemented according to embodiments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical device comprising:
a lens assembly performing a forward/backward movement in an optical axis direction;
at least one first voice coil motor generating a first driving force that causes the lens assembly to perform the forward/backward movement in the optical axis direction; and
at least one second voice coil motor generating a second driving force equal to or smaller than the first driving force in a direction that is opposite to a moving direction of the lens assembly,
wherein when the lens assembly reciprocates forward and backward around a target point to converge to the target point, the at least one second voice coil motor generates the second driving force to reduce an amplitude of the reciprocation of the lens assembly.

2. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first voice coil motor comprises one pair of first voice coil motors, and the one pair of first voice coil motors are arranged to be symmetric to each other in a diametric direction of the lens assembly.

3. The optical device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one second voice coil motor is disposed at a same angular distance from each of the pair of first voice coil motors.

4. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first voice coil motor comprises a plurality of first voice coil motors, the at least one second voice coil motor comprises a plurality of second voice coil motors, the plurality of first voice coil motors are arranged to be symmetric to each other, and the plurality of second voice coil motors are arranged to be symmetric to each other.

5. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one guide shaft arranged to be parallel to the optical axis direction,
wherein the guide shaft is coupled to penetrate the lens assembly to guide the forward/backward movement of the lens assembly.

6. The optical device of claim 5 , wherein the lens assembly slides in the optical axis direction while being guided by the guide shaft.

7. The optical device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one guide shaft comprises one pair of guide shafts that are each coupled to penetrate the lens assembly.

8. A mobile communication terminal comprising:
a camera module comprising an optical device, the optical device comprising:
a lens assembly performing a forward/backward movement in an optical axis direction;
at least one first voice coil motor generating a first driving force that causes the lens assembly to perform the forward/backward movement in the optical axis direction; and
at least one second voice coil motor generating a second driving force equal to or smaller than the first driving force in a direction that is opposite to a moving direction of the lens assembly,
wherein when the lens assembly reciprocates forward and backward around a target point to converge to the target point, second voice coil motor generates the second driving force to reduce an amplitude of the reciprocation of the lens assembly.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8 , wherein the at least one first voice coil motor comprises one pair of first voice coil motors, and the one pair of first voice coil motors are arranged to be symmetric to each other in a diametric direction of the lens assembly.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 9 , wherein the second voice coil motor is disposed at a same angular distance from each of the pair of first voice coil motors.

11. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8 , wherein the at least one first voice coil motor comprises a plurality of first voice coil motors, the at least one second voice coil motor comprises a plurality of second voice coil motors, the plurality of first voice coil motors are arranged to be symmetric to each other, and the plurality of second voice coil motors are arranged to be symmetric to each other.

12. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8 , wherein the optical device further comprises:
at least one guide shaft arranged to be parallel to the optical axis direction,
wherein the guide shaft is coupled to penetrate the lens assembly to guide the forward/backward movement of the lens assembly.

13. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12 , wherein the lens assembly slides in the optical axis direction while being guided by the guide shaft.

14. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12 , wherein the at least one guide shaft comprises one pair of guide shafts that are each coupled to penetrate the lens assembly.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Moon Chan Young
• Bang Jin Young
• Oh Jin Heon
• Chun Jong Hyeok

Classifications

• H04N23/57 Primary

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

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G02B7/08 Primary

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

• H04N5/2257 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G03B13/36

  Autofocus systems · CPC title