Ultra compact zoom camera concept

• US 20080106811A1
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Eromaki, Marko
• Granted Patent: US 7,667,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/817
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly

Abstract

A device is shown having at least two movable lens units, wherein each of the at least two movable lens units has at least one lens, wherein the at least two movable lens units are movable into a first state wherein the at least two movable lens units are arranged in parallel to each other, and wherein the at least two movable lens units are movable into a second state wherein the at least two movable lens units are arranged on top of each other for positioning the lenses of the at least two movable lens units in an optical axis.

Claims

1. Device comprising at least two movable lens units, wherein each of said at least two movable lens units comprises at least one lens, wherein said at least two movable lens units are movable into a first state wherein said at least two movable lens units are arranged in parallel to each other, and wherein said at least two movable lens units are movable into a second state wherein said at least two movable lens units are arranged on top of each other for positioning the lenses of said of at least two movable lens units in an optical axis.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first lens unit of said at least two movable lens units represents a lens unit for effecting a focus function.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the focus function is an autofocus function.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first lens unit of said at least two movable lens units represents a lens unit for effecting a zoom function.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first lens unit of said at least two movable lens units represents a lens unit for effecting a focus function, and wherein a second lens unit of said at least two movable lens units represents a lens unit for effecting a zoom function.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein one of said at least two movable lens units comprises an aperture stop.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein in the second state at least one of said at least two movable lens units is movable along the optical axis.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a lever mechanism to move said at least two movable lens units into the first or into the second state, and wherein said lever mechanism is connectable to a base member.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the lever mechanism comprises at least two guide shafts, wherein each of said at least two guide shafts is hinged to the base member, and wherein each of said at least two movable lens units is connected to said at least two guide shafts via a set of joints, wherein each of the joints of said set of joints has a degree of freedom for enabling rotational movement, and wherein at least one of the joints of said set of joints has a second degree of freedom for enabling linear movement, so that said lever mechanism is capable of unfolding said at least two movable lens units from the first state into the second state and of folding said at least two movable lens units from the second state into the first state.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein each joint of at least one of said set of joints has two degrees of freedom for enabling rotational and linear movement, and wherein in the second state the at least one of said two movable lens units associated with said at least one of said set of joints units is movable along the optical axis.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the device comprises at least one actuator for moving said at least one of said at least two movable lens units along the optical axis when said at least two movable lens units are arranged in the second state.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said at least one actuator is fixed to the lever mechanism, and wherein each of said at least one of said at least two movable lens units is connected to one of said at least one actuator via an actuator interface.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said at least one actuator is suited to align said at least one of said at least two movable lens units so that the lens or lenses of said at least one of said at least two movable lens units are arranged in the optical axis in the second state.

14. The device according to claim 13, a spring connects the actuator interface and the corresponding lens unit to keep the corresponding lens unit at a ninety degree angle with respect to the guide shafts in the second state.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein a first small magnet is arranged on a sidewall of a first of said at least one of said at least two movable lens units, and wherein a second small magnet is mounted movably on one of said at least two guide shafts, so that in the second state said first small magnet fixes magnetically to the second small magnet and is capable of keeping the corresponding lens unit at a ninety degree angle with respect to the guide shafts in the second state.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein said at least one actuator is capable of moving said at least one of said at least two movable lens units to a suitable place before the guiding shafts start to fold down said at least two movable lens units into the first state.

17. The device according to claim 9, wherein at least one side surface between two adjacent guide shafts is covered with at least two overlapping wings, wherein said at least two overlapping wings form a foldable sidewall capable of following a shape deformation of said side surface between said two adjacent guide shafts.

18. The device according to claim 8, wherein the base member comprises an optical sensor, and wherein said optical sensor is aligned with the optical axis of the lenses of said of at least two movable lens units in the second state.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a digital camera.

20. Mobile phone comprising the device according to claim 1.

21. Apparatus comprising at least a first movable lens unit means and a second movable lens unit means for moving into a first state arranged in parallel and for moving into a second state arranged on top of each other for positioning lenses of said at least the first movable lens unit means and the second movable lens unit means in an optical axis.