Optical sensor and optical unit

• US 6,528,778 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kimba, Akio, Ueda, Hiroshi, Ishida, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US09/327,423
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.1, 250/208.1, 250/214.R, 250/239, 250/551, 358/483, 358/482, 348/65, 348/76
• US Class Current: 250/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

In an optical unit such as AF sensor used in a camera, a sensor module is directly fixed on a flexible printed circuit substrate in a manner so that an array of photo-sensing devices formed on the sensor chip is directly connected to conductive patterns on the flexible printed circuit substrate. The printed circuit substrate with the sensor module is held by a sensor holder, and the sensor holder is fixed on an exit opening of a base member of the optical unit in a manner so that the photo-sensing surface of the sensor chip is perpendicular to an optical axis of optical elements such as lenses held on the base member.

Claims

1. An optical sensor comprising:

a sensor module including a sensor chip having at least a photo-sensing device provided thereon and a flexible printed circuit substrate having conductive patterns to which the photo-sensing device is connected; and

a sensor holder for positioning the sensor module at a light exit opening portion of a base member of an optical unit which holds at least an optical element for guiding an incident light to the sensor module, a surface of the sensor holder having a concave cavity and at least two recesses, the sensor chip being contained in the concave cavity and the sensor module being fixedly attached the sensor holder at the recesses.

2. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the photo-sensing device is connected to the conductive patterns by way of the surface of the sensor chip on which the photo-sensing device is provided.

3. An optical sensor comprising:

a sensor module including;

a transparent plate;

a sensor chip provided with at least a photo-sensing device; and

a flexible printed circuit substrate having;

conductive patterns to which the photo-sensing device is connected; and

an opening, wherein

the sensor chip is disposed for facing the transparent plate through the opening of the flexible circuit substrate; and

a sensor holder for positioning the sensor module at a light exit opening portion of a base member of an optical unit which holds at least an optical element for guiding an incident light to the sensor module, a surface of the transparent plate being adhered to a surface of the base member.

4. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein the sensor holder positions the sensor module at the light exit opening portion of the base member of the optical unit in a manner so that a photo-sensing surface of the sensor chip crosses at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of the optical element.

11. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein the sensor holder is provided around an outer periphery of the transparent plate.

12. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein the photo-sensing device is connected to the conductive patterns by way of the surface of the sensor chip on which the photo-sensing device is provided.

5. An optical sensor comprising:

a sensor module including;

a transparent plate;

a sensor chip provided with at least a photo-sensing device; and

a flexible printed circuit substrate having;

conductive patterns to which the photo-sensing device is connected; and

an opening, wherein

the sensor chip is disposed for facing the transparent plate through the opening of the flexible circuit substrate; and

a sensor holder for positioning the sensor module at a light exit opening portion of a base member of an optical unit which holds at least an optical element for guiding an incident light to the sensor module, wherein

the sensor holder has a cover portion for enclosing the sensor chip and is fixed on the transparent plate.

6. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 5, wherein the transparent plate has a size larger than that of the sensor chip, the cover portion of the sensor holder is a cavity having a size larger than that of the sensor chip, side walls of the cavity of the sensor holder serves as a fixing portion, and the fixing portion of the sensor holder is fixed on a surface of the transparent plate directly or via the flexible printed circuit substrate.

7. An optical sensor comprising:

a sensor module including;

a transparent plate;

a sensor chip provided with at least a photo-sensing device; and

a flexible printed circuit substrate having;

conductive patterns to which the photo-sensing device is connected; and

an opening, wherein

the sensor chip is disposed for facing the transparent plate through the opening of the flexible circuit substrate; and

a sensor holder for positioning the sensor module at a light exit opening portion of a base member of an optical unit which holds at least an optical element for guiding an incident light to the sensor module, wherein

the sensor holder is provided between the transparent plate and the flexible printed circuit substrate of the sensor module.

8. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 7, further comprising an aperture for restricting a part of incident light reaching to the sensor chip through the transparent plate.

9. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein the aperture is formed on the sensor holder.

10. The optical sensor in accordance with claim 8, wherein the aperture has a size permitting the incident light reaching only a portion on the photo-sensing surface of the sensor chip where the photo-sensing device id formed.

13. An optical unit comprising:

a sensor module including;

a transparent plate;

a sensor chip provided with at least a photo-sensing device; and

a flexible printed circuit substrate having;

conductive patterns to which the photo-sensing device is connected; and

an opening, wherein

the sensor chip is disposed for facing a surface of the transparent plate through the opening of the flexible circuit substrate;

a base member for holding at least an optical element which guides incident light to the sensor module, and having a positioning portion to which another surface of the transparent plate contacts for positioning the sensor chip with respect to the optical element and a fixing portion to which the sensor module is fixed; and

a sensor holder for positioning the sensor module at a light exit opening portion of the base member.

14. The optical unit in accordance with claim 13, wherein the sensor holder positions the sensor module at the light exit opening portion of the base member of the optical unit in a manner so that a photo-sensing surface of the sensor chip crosses at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of the optical element.

15. The optical unit in accordance with claim 13, wherein the sensor holder has a cover portion for enclosing the sensor chip and is fixed on the transparent plate.

16. The optical unit in accordance with claim 15, wherein the transparent plate has a size larger than that of the sensor chip, the cover portion of the sensor holder is a cavity having a size larger than that of the sensor chip, side walls of the cavity of the sensor holder serves as a fixing portion, and the fixing portion of the sensor holder is fixed on a surface of the transparent plate directly or via the flexible printed circuit substrate.

17. The optical unit in accordance with claim 13, wherein the fixing portion of the base member is formed in a manner so that a gap is formed between the fixing portion and the sensor holder when the transparent plate contacts the positioning portion of the base member.

18. The optical unit in accordance with claim 13, wherein the base member has a light shielding portion formed to protrude toward the sensor holder for shielding a part of external incident light so as not to reach the sensor module.

19. The optical unit in accordance with claim 13, wherein the photo-sensing device is connected to the conductive patterns by way of the surface of the sensor chip on which the photo-sensing device is provided.

20. An optical unit comprising:

a sensor module including;

a transparent plate;

a sensor chip provided with at least a photo-sensing device; and

a flexible printed circuit substrate having;

conductive patterns to which the photo-sensing device is connected; and

an opening, wherein

the sensor chip is disposed for facing the transparent plate through the opening of the flexible circuit substrate;

a sensor holder for holding the sensor module which is provided between the transparent plate and flexible printed circuit substrate of the sensor module and has a first fixing portion formed in the vicinity of an outer periphery thereof; and

a base member for holding at least an optical element which guides incident light to the sensor module, and having a second fixing portion to which the first fixing portion contacts for positioning the sensor chip with respect to the optical element and for fixing the sensor holder to the base member.

21. The optical unit in accordance with claim 20, further comprising an aperture for restricting a part of incident light reaching to the sensor chip through the transparent plate.

22. The optical unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the aperture is formed on the sensor holder.

23. The optical unit in accordance with claim 21, wherein the aperture has a size permitting the incident light reaching only a portion on the photo-sensing surface of the sensor chip where the photo-sensing device id formed.

24. The optical unit in accordance with claim 20, wherein the sensor holder is provided around an outer periphery of the transparent plate.

25. The optical unit in accordance with claim 20, wherein the photo-sensing device is connected to the conductive patterns by way of the surface of the sensor chip on which the photo-sensing device is provided.

26. A sensor unit comprising:

a transparent plate capable of transmitting light;

a sensor chip provided with a photo-sensing device for sensing light transmitted through the transparent plate, the sensor chip having a surface in fixed contact with a surface of the transparent plate;

a flexible printed circuit substrate electrically connected with the photo-sensing device; and

a holder fixedly attached on the transparent plate, the holder having a shape capable of enclosing the sensor chip.

27. The sensor unit in accordance with claim 26, wherein the holder is provided between the transparent plate and the flexible printed circuit substrate.

28. The sensor unit in accordance with claim 26, wherein the transparent plate has a size larger than that of the sensor chip, the holder is formed with a cavity having a size larger than that of the sensor chip, side walls of the cavity serves as a fixing portion, and the fixing portion of the holder is fixedly attached to a surface of the transparent plate directly or via the flexible printed circuit substrate.

29. A sensor unit comprising:

a transparent plate capable of transmitting light;

a holder having opposing sides and fixedly attached with the transparent plate on one of the opposing sides thereof, the holder being formed with an opening and adapted to mount the sensor unit on other parts of a combination that includes the sensor unit;

a sensor chip provided with a photo-sensing device for sensing light passed through the opening and the transparent plate, the sensor chip being fixedly attached to the other of the opposing sides of the holder; and

a flexible printed circuit substrate electrically connected with and fixedly attached to the sensor chip.

30. The sensor unit in accordance with claim 29, wherein the photo-sensing device is connected to the flexible printed circuit substrate by way of the surface of the sensor chip on which the photo-sensing device is provided.