Lens drive device, camera module, and camera-equipped device

• US 10,591,744 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sugawara, Masayoshi, Hiwatashi, Koki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong Q
• Application Number:
  US15/560,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20180113322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0015 by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0069 using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/04 Vertical adjustment of lens; Rising fronts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

A lens drive device has a support section for supporting a shake correction movable section relative to a shake correction stationary section. The support section has: an upper frame body; a plate-shaped first side support body for connecting the upper frame body and the shake correction stationary section; and a plate-shaped second side support body for connecting the upper frame body and the shake correction movable section. The first side support body and the second side support body are formed from an elastomeric material. As the shake correction movable section moves in a first direction, the first side support body is bent in the opposite directions at two Y-hinge sections extending in a second direction. As the shake correction movable section moves in the second direction, the second side support body is bent in the opposite directions at two X-hinge sections extending in the first direction.

Claims

1. A lens driving device comprising

a shake-correcting driving part, the shake-correcting driving part including:

a shake-correcting magnet part disposed at a periphery of a lens part;

a shake-correcting coil part separated from the shake-correcting magnet part; and

a supporting part configured to support a shake correction movable part including the shake-correcting magnet part such that the shake correction movable part is separated from a shake correction fixing part including the shake-correcting coil part in a light axis direction, the shake-correcting driving part being configured to sway the shake correction movable part with respect to the shake correction fixing part in a plane orthogonal to the light axis direction by utilizing a driving force of a voice coil motor composed of the shake-correcting coil part and the shake-correcting magnet part to perform a shake correction, wherein;

the supporting part includes;

an upper frame member disposed opposite to the shake correction fixing part in the light axis direction,

two first side supporting members disposed opposite to each other in a first direction orthogonal to the light axis direction, each of the first side supporting members having a plate shape and being configured to couple the upper frame member and the shake correction fixing part, and

two second side supporting members disposed opposite to each other in a second direction orthogonal to the light axis direction and the first direction, each of the second side supporting members having a plate shape and being configured to couple the upper frame member and the shake correction movable part,

the first side supporting members and the second side supporting members are formed with an elastomer material,

each of the first side supporting members includes first and second Y-hinge parts that are thinner than a portion around the first and the second Y-hinge parts and that extend in the second direction, wherein

each of the first side supporting members is bent along with movement of the shake correction movable part in the first direction such that bending directions of the first Y-hinge parts are identical to each other and bending directions of the second Y-hinge parts are identical to each other while the bending directions of the first Y-hinge parts and the bending directions of the second Y-hinge parts are opposite to each other,

each of the second side supporting members includes first and second X-hinge parts that are thinner than a portion around the first and the second X-hinge parts and that extend in the first direction, wherein

each of the second side supporting members is bent along with movement of the shake correction movable part in the second direction such that bending directions of the first X-hinge parts are identical to each other and bending directions of the second X-hinge parts are identical to each other while the bending directions of the first X-hinge parts and the bending directions of the second X-hinge parts are opposite to each other.

2. The lens driving device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second X-hinge parts and the first and the second Y-hinge parts are hinge grooves formed on a surface, respectively.

3. The lens driving device according to claim 2, wherein the hinge groove has an R-shape.

4. The lens driving device according to claim 1, wherein the upper frame member is formed with a liquid crystal polymer.

5. The lens driving device according to claim 1, wherein:

the shake correction movable part includes an auto-focusing driving part, the auto-focusing driving part including;

an auto-focusing coil part disposed at a periphery of the lens part,

an auto-focusing magnet part separated from the auto-focusing coil part in a radial direction, and

an elastic supporting part configured to elastically support, with respect to an auto focus fixing part including one of the auto-focusing coil part and the auto-focusing magnet part, an auto focus movable part including the other of the auto-focusing coil part and the auto-focusing magnet part, the auto-focusing driving part being configured to move the auto focus movable part in the light axis direction with respect to the auto focus fixing part by utilizing a driving force of a voice coil motor composed of the auto-focusing coil part and auto-focusing magnet part to perform automatic focusing;

the lens driving device includes a power feeding member configured to connect the shake correction fixing part and the auto focus fixing part; and

power is fed to the auto-focusing coil part through the power feeding member and the elastic supporting part.

6. The lens driving device according to claim 5, wherein the power feeding member is a coil spring configured to connect the shake correction fixing part and the auto focus fixing part to each other.

7. A camera module comprising:

the lens driving device according to claim 1; and

the lens part mounted in the lens driving device.

8. A camera mounting device which is an information apparatus or a transport apparatus, wherein the camera mounting device includes the camera module according to claim 7.