IMAGE-CAPTURING MODULE FOR SIMPLIFYING OPTICAL COMPONENT

• US 20110058027A1
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Azurewave Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Azurewave Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: CHEN, Chih-Chien, HSU, Chi-Hsing
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1324 by using geometrical optics, e.g. using prisms G06V40/1312 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

An image-capturing module for simplifying optical component includes a first substrate unit, an image-capturing unit, an optical imaging unit, a second substrate unit, a light-emitting unit and a cover unit. The second substrate unit is disposed on the outer surface of the optical imaging unit and electrically connected to the first substrate unit. The light-emitting unit has a light-emitting element electrically disposed on the second substrate unit. The cover unit has a reflective layer formed on an inner surface thereof. Therefore, the light beams generated by the light-emitting element are reflected by the reflective layer to form first reflected light beams projected onto the object, then the first reflected light beams are reflected by the object to form second reflected light beams projected onto the optical imaging unit, and then the second reflected light beams pass through the optical imaging unit and project onto the image-capturing unit.

Claims

1. An image-capturing module for simplifying optical component, comprising:

a first substrate unit;

an image-capturing unit having at least one image-capturing element electrically disposed on the first substrate unit;

an optical imaging unit disposed on the first substrate unit and covering the image-capturing unit, wherein the optical imaging unit has a shading body and a light-condensing element jointed with the shading body and disposed above the image-capturing unit, and the shading body has at least one inclined surface formed on an outer surface thereof;

a second substrate unit disposed on the outer surface of the shading body and electrically connected to the first substrate unit, wherein the second substrate unit has an inclined substrate disposed on the inclined surface of the shading body;

a light-emitting unit having at least one light-emitting element electrically disposed on the inclined substrate of the second substrate unit; and

a cover unit disposed on the first substrate unit and covering the optical imaging unit, the second substrate unit and the light-emitting unit, wherein the cover unit has at least one reflective layer formed on an inner surface thereof and a light-transmitting element disposed on a top surface thereof and above the light-condensing element, and an object is disposed on the light-transmitting element;

whereby, light beams generated by the at least one light-emitting element are reflected by the at least one reflective layer to form first reflected light beams projected onto the object on the light-transmitting element, then the first reflected light beams are reflected by the object to form second reflected light beams projected onto the light-condensing element, and then the second reflected light beams pass through the light-condensing element and project onto the image-capturing unit.

2. The image-capturing module according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate unit and the second substrate unit are printed circuit boards, and the image-capturing element is an image sensor.

3. The image-capturing module according to claim 1, wherein the shading body has at least one extending plane formed on the outer surface thereof and extended downwards from the at least one inclined surface to the first substrate unit, and the second substrate unit has an extending substrate extended downwards from the inclined substrate and disposed on the extending plane and a plane substrate bent outwards from the extending substrate and electrically connected to the first substrate unit.

4. The image-capturing module according to claim 1, wherein the light-condensing element is a condensing lens, and the light-emitting element is a light emitting diode.

5. The image-capturing module according to claim 1, wherein the reflective layer is a reflective element adhered to the inner surface of the cover unit or a reflective coated film coated on the inner surface of the cover unit.

6. An image-capturing module for simplifying optical component, comprising:

a first substrate unit;

an image-capturing unit having at least one image-capturing element electrically disposed on the first substrate unit;

an optical imaging unit disposed on the first substrate unit and covering the image-capturing unit, wherein the optical imaging unit has a shading body and a light-condensing element jointed with the shading body and disposed above the image-capturing unit, and the shading body has at least one first inclined surface and at least one second inclined surface both formed on an outer surface thereof;

a second substrate unit disposed on the outer surface of the shading body and electrically connected to the first substrate unit, wherein the second substrate unit has a first inclined substrate disposed on the first inclined surface of the shading body and a second inclined substrate disposed on the second inclined surface of the shading body;

a light-emitting unit having at least one first light-emitting element electrically disposed on the first inclined substrate of the second substrate unit and at least one second light-emitting element electrically disposed on the second inclined substrate of the second substrate unit; and

a cover unit disposed on the first substrate unit and covering the optical imaging unit, the second substrate unit and the light-emitting unit, wherein the cover unit has at least one first reflective layer and at least one second reflective layer both formed on an inner surface thereof, the cover unit has a light-transmitting element disposed on a top surface thereof and above the light-condensing element, and an object is disposed on the light-transmitting element;

whereby, light beams generated by the at least one first light-emitting element and the at least one second light-emitting element are reflected by the at least one first reflective layer and the at least one second reflective layer to form two sets of first reflected light beams projected onto the object on the light-transmitting element, then the two sets of the first reflected light beams are reflected by the object to form convergent second reflected light beams projected onto the light-condensing element, and then the second reflected light beams pass through the light-condensing element and project onto the image-capturing unit.

7. The image-capturing module according to claim 6, wherein the first substrate unit and the second substrate unit are printed circuit boards, and the image-capturing element is an image sensor.

8. The image-capturing module according to claim 6, wherein the shading body has at least one first extending plane formed on the outer surface thereof and extended downwards from the at least one first inclined surface to the first substrate unit, and the second substrate unit has a first extending substrate extended downwards from the first inclined substrate and disposed on the first extending plane and a first plane substrate bent outwards from the first extending substrate and electrically connected to the first substrate unit.

9. The image-capturing module according to claim 6, wherein the shading body has at least one second extending plane formed on the outer surface thereof and extended downwards from the at least one second inclined surface to the first substrate unit, and the second substrate unit has a second extending substrate extended downwards from the second inclined substrate and disposed on the second extending plane and a second plane substrate bent outwards from the second extending substrate and electrically connected to the first substrate unit.

10. The image-capturing module according to claim 6, wherein the light-condensing element is a condensing lens, and the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element are light emitting diodes.

11. The image-capturing module according to claim 6, wherein the first reflective layer is a first reflective element adhered to the inner surface of the cover unit or a first reflective coated film coated on the inner surface of the cover unit, and the second reflective layer is a second reflective element adhered to the inner surface of the cover unit or a second reflective coated film coated on the inner surface of the cover unit.

12. An image-capturing module for simplifying optical component, comprising:

a first substrate unit;

an image-capturing unit having at least one image-capturing element electrically disposed on the first substrate unit;

an optical imaging unit disposed on the first substrate unit and covering the image-capturing unit;

a second substrate unit disposed on an outer surface of the optical imaging unit and electrically connected to the first substrate unit;

a light-emitting unit having at least one light-emitting element electrically disposed on the inclined substrate of the second substrate unit; and

a cover unit disposed on the first substrate unit and covering the optical imaging unit, the second substrate unit and the light-emitting unit, wherein the cover unit has a light-transmitting element disposed on a top surface thereof and an object is disposed on the light-transmitting element, and light beams generated by the at least one light-emitting element are projected directly onto the light-transmitting element;

whereby, the light beams are reflected by the object to form reflected light beams projected onto the optical imaging unit, and then the reflected light beams pass through a light-transmitting region of the optical imaging unit and project onto the image-capturing unit.

13. The image-capturing module according to claim 12, wherein the optical imaging unit has at least one inclined surface formed on an outer surface thereof, the second substrate unit has an inclined substrate disposed on the inclined surface of the optical imaging unit, the optical imaging unit has at least one extending plane formed on the outer surface thereof and extended downwards from the at least one inclined surface to the first substrate unit, and the second substrate unit has an extending substrate extended downwards from the inclined substrate and disposed on the extending plane and a plane substrate bent outwards from the extending substrate and electrically connected to the first substrate unit.

14. The image-capturing module according to claim 12, wherein the light-transmitting region of the optical imaging unit is a hole.

15. The image-capturing module according to claim 12, wherein the light-transmitting region of the optical imaging unit is composed of a hole and a light-transmitting body filled into the hole.