IMAGE STABILIZER

• US 20110058799A1
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Jin-won, KIM, Sung-hyun, CHUNG, Hae-In, SHIM, Jeong-hyun, LEE, Min-jae
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/55
• 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: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations

Abstract

An image stabilizer that compensates for external vibrations by moving an imaging unit. The image stabilizer includes a first frame on which an imaging unit is installed, a second frame that is connected to the first frame using three points and guides movement of the first frame in a first direction and second direction, and a third frame that is connected to the second frame using three points and guides the first frame and the second frame to move in a third direction and fourth direction, which are perpendicular to the first and second directions.

Claims

1. An image stabilizer that compensates for external vibrations by moving an imaging unit, the image stabilizer comprising:

a first frame on which the imaging unit is installed;

a second frame that is connected to the first frame using three points and guides movement of the first frame in a first direction and a second direction; and

a third frame that is connected to the second frame using three points and guides the first frame and the second frame to move in a third direction and a fourth direction, which are perpendicular to the first and second directions.

2. The image stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the three points with which the second frame is connected to the first and the three points with which the second frame is connected to the third frame do not interfere with each other.

3. The image stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the second frame comprises:

a first support portion;

a second support portion that is disposed in parallel to and on a same surface as the first support;

a third support portion that is perpendicularly connected to the first and the second support portions on the same surface as the first and the second support portions; and

a fourth support portion that is perpendicularly connected to the first and the second support portions on the same surface as the first and the second support portions,

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth support portions are connected to each other, forming a rectangular shape.

4. The image stabilizer of claim 3, wherein the first frame comprises:

a first connection portion that is connected to the first support portion;

a second connection portion that is connected to the first support portion; and

a third connection portion that is connected to the second support portion.

5. The image stabilizer of claim 4, wherein the third frame comprises:

a fourth connection portion that is connected to the first support portion;

a fifth connection portion that is connected to the first support portion; and

a sixth connection portion that is connected to the fourth support portion.

6. The image stabilizer of claim 5, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth connection portions snap-fit into the first, second, third, and fourth support portions, respectively.

7. The image stabilizer of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a plurality of coil winding units, and

wherein a magnet is installed on the third frame, in a position facing the plurality of coil winding units.

8. The image stabilizer of claim 7, wherein the coil winding unit comprises a stabilizer that is installed on an opposite surface of a surface facing the magnet.

9. The image stabilizer of claim 8, wherein the third frame comprises:

a first yoke that is installed on an opposite surface of a surface facing the coil winding unit; and

a second yoke that is installed on an opposite surface of a surface facing the coil winding unit and the stabilizer of the first frame, which is an other side of the first yoke,

wherein the second yoke prevents the first frame from separating from the third frame.

10. The image stabilizer of claim 9, wherein the second frame comprises a plurality of elastic members that are installed on the second and fourth support portions.

11. The image stabilizer of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of elastic members comprises a coil spring.

14. The image stabilizer of claim 11, where in the second frame comprises:

a first support portion;

a second support portion that is disposed in parallel to and on a same surface as the first support;

a third support portion that is perpendicularly connected to the first and the second support portions; and

a fourth support portion that is perpendicularly connected to the first and the second support portions,

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth support portions are connected to each other forming a rectangular shape.

15. The image stabilizer of claim 14, wherein the first frame comprises:

a first connection portion this connected to the first support portion;

a second connection portion that is connected to the first support portion; and

a third connection portion that is connected to the second support portion.

16. The image stabilizer of claim 15, wherein the third frame comprises:

a fourth connection portion that is connected to the first support portion;

a fifth connection portion that is connected to the first support portion; and

a sixth connection portion that is connected to the fourth support portion.

17. The image stabilizer of claim 16, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth connection portions snap-fit into the first, second, third, and fourth support portions, respectively.

12. An image stabilizer that compensates for external vibrations by moving a lens unit, the image stabilizer comprising:

a first frame on which the lens unit is installed;

a second frame that is connected to the first frame using three points and guides movement of the first frame in a first direction and second direction; and

a third frame that is connected to the second frame using three points and guides the first frame and the second frame to move in a third direction and a fourth direction, which are perpendicular to the first and second directions.

13. The image stabilizer of claim 12, wherein the three points with which the second frame is connected to the first frame and the three points with which the second frame is connected to the first and third frames do not interfere with each other.

18. The image stabilizer of claim 12, wherein the first frame comprises a plurality of coil winding units, and

wherein a magnet is installed on the third frame, in a position facing the plurality of coil winding units.

19. The image stabilizer of claim 18, wherein the coil winding unit comprises a stabilizer that is installed on an opposite surface of a surface facing the magnet.

20. The image stabilizer of claim 19, wherein the third frame comprises:

a first yoke that is installed on an opposite surface of a surface facing the coil winding unit; and

a second yoke that is installed on the opposite surface of the surface facing the coil winding unit and the stabilizer of the first frame, which is an other side of the first yoke,

wherein the second yoke prevents the first frame from separating from the third frame.

21. The image stabilizer of claim 20, wherein the second frame comprises a plurality of elastic members that are installed on the second support portion and the fourth support portion.

22. The image stabilizer of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of elastic members comprises a coil spring.