VOICE COIL MOTOR OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION WIRES

• US 20150365568A1
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Richard J. Topliss
• Inventors: Brodie, Douglas S., Rossetti, Anthony J., Tsai, Richard H., Baer, Richard L., Topliss, RIchard J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,063,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H02K 41/0356 moving along a straight path
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details

Abstract

Some embodiments provide an apparatus for controlling the motion of a camera component. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an actuator module. The actuator module includes a plurality of magnets. Each magnet of the plurality of magnets is poled with magnetic domains substantially aligned in the same direction throughout each magnet. The apparatus further includes a coil rigidly disposed around a lens. Each magnet of the plurality of magnets contributes to the forces to adjust focus of the lens based on Lorentz forces generated from the coil.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the motion of a camera component, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator module comprising a plurality of magnets, wherein

each magnet of the plurality of magnets is poled with magnetic domains substantially aligned in the same direction throughout each magnet, and

a coil rigidly disposed around a lens, wherein,

each magnet of the plurality of magnets contributes to the forces to adjust focus of the lens based on Lorentz forces generated from the coil.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of magnets is mounted to a support structure of a focusing mechanism comprising the actuator module, and

the plurality of magnets comprises four magnets mounted to the support structure of the focusing mechanism.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the coil is driven with an electric current, and

the coil is rigidly disposed around the Lens and mounted in the magnetic field of each magnet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the poling directions of each magnet of the plurality of magnets as mounted in the actuator module is substantially orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens, and

the poling directions of each magnet of the plurality of magnets is angled at or about 45 degrees to at least one of a plurality of planar sides of the actuator module,

the actuator module is substantially cuboid in envelope,

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

a focusing mechanism is suspended on an actuator module support structure by a means that substantially limits the relative motion to linear directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

a fringing magnetic field of each magnet of the plurality of magnets interacts with four additional coils when driven with electric currents,

the four additional coils are fixed to an actuator module support structure so that components of the fringing magnetic field parallel to the optical axis allow Lorentz forces to be generated in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, and

the Lorentz forces generate controlled motion of the focusing mechanism and a lens, in directions orthogonal to an optical axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the actuator module is an actuator module for controlling the position of a lens relative to an image sensor in a miniature camera along three orthogonal axes, one parallel to the optical axis for focus adjustment, and two orthogonal to the optical axis and to each other to compensate for user handshake.

8. An actuator module for controlling the position of a lens relative to an image sensor in a miniature camera, comprising:

an actuator module support structure;

a focusing mechanism suspended on the actuator module support structure by a suspension means configured to limit relative motion to linear directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the miniature camera; and

a plurality of magnets mounted to a support structure of the focusing mechanism.

9. The actuator module of claim 8, wherein

the actuator module support structure comprises a magnetic yoke, wherein

the plurality of magnets is mounted to the magnetic yoke,

an upper spring is mounted to the magnetic yoke,

the upper spring is used to suspend a lens and a focusing coil, and

the upper spring is electrically insulated from the yoke.

10. The actuator module of claim 9, wherein

the upper spring comprises a first portion and a second portion,

each of the first portion and the second portion is connected to a respective terminal of the focusing coil to form a conductive path to drive current through the focusing coil, from the yoke when different voltages applied to each of the first portion and the second portion.

11. The actuator module of claim 8, wherein

the actuator module is rectangular in plan, when viewed in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, with sides arranged so that there is a long side and a short side,

each magnet of the plurality of magnets and a corresponding fixed coil are arranged to exhibit mirror symmetry about a plane at 45 degrees to at least one side of the actuator module, and

the combined arrangement of four magnets and four fixed coils does not exhibit mirror symmetry about a plane at 45 degrees to at least one side of the actuator module and through the optical axis.

12. The actuator module of claim 8, wherein

the conduction path to the two portions of the upper spring is through the suspension mechanism, and

the suspension mechanism guides the focusing mechanism to move in linear directions orthogonal to the optical axis, relative to the actuator module fixed support structure.

13. The actuator module of claim 8, wherein each magnet of the plurality of magnets is arranged to interact with Lorentz forces generated from a single coil driven with an appropriate electric current that is rigidly disposed around the lens and mounted in the magnetic field of each magnet.

14. The actuator module of claim 8, further comprising a lower spring, used in combination with the upper spring to suspend the lens and focusing coil on the focusing mechanism support structure, and the lower spring is mounted on the four magnets, between the magnets and the four fixed coils.

15. An apparatus for controlling the motion of a camera component in a mobile computing device, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator module comprising a plurality of magnets mounted to a circuit board, wherein

each magnet of the plurality of magnets is poled with magnetic domains substantially aligned in the same direction throughout each magnet, and

a coil rigidly disposed around a lens, wherein,

each magnet of the plurality of magnets contributes to the forces to adjust focus of the lens based on Lorentz forces generated from the coil rigidly disposed around the lens.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the circuit board comprises a flexible printed circuit.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein

the circuit board comprises a printed circuit board,

the plurality of coils is affixed at an orientation such that the plane of the circuit board is orthogonal to an optical axis of the actuator, and

at least two Hall sensors are mounted to the board centers of two of the fixed coils on opposite sides of the printed circuit board from the magnets.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein

each magnet of the plurality of magnets is mounted to the actuator module with a poling direction substantially orthogonal to an optical axis of the actuator module.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein

each magnet of the plurality of magnets is mounted to the actuator module with a poling direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the actuator module.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein

each magnet of the plurality of magnets is mounted to the actuator module at an angle of 45 degrees to at least one planar side of the actuator module.