Image sensor module

• US 7,391,458 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSU, AMY R
• Application Number:
  US10/519,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 348/340, 348/394, 348/335, 257/437, 257/98, 438/25, 438/26, 359/687, 359/683, 359/684
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/026 using retaining rings or springs G02B7/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

An image sensor module (X1) includes a housing (1), a lens retainer (2), an image sensor chip (4), a substrate (5) and a lens unit (A, B). The housing (1) is formed with a step portion (1a) for fixing the lens unit (A, B). The lens retainer (2) is fixed to the housing (1) and held in contact with the upper face of the lens unit (A, B). The lens unit (A, B) is pressed against the step portion (1a) of the housing (1) by a biasing force of the lens retainer (2).

Claims

1. An image sensor module comprising:

an image sensor chip mounted on a substrate;

a housing installed on the substrate and having a step portion for retaining a lens above the image sensor chip;

a lens unit placed on the step portion for forming an image of an object on the image sensor chip; and

a lens retainer installed on the housing;

wherein the lens retainer comprises an elastically deformable portion, and the lens unit is pressed against the step portion of the housing by a biasing force caused by the elastically deformable portion; and

wherein the lens unit comprises a combination of a first lens and a second lens, the first lens including a flat contact face and a concave lens face, the second lens including a flat contact face for contact with the flat contact face of the first lens, the second lens further including a convex lens face that is spaced from the concave lens face an projects beyond the flat contact faces of the first and second lenses into a recessed space defined by the concave lens face of the first lens.

2. The image sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the lens retainer further comprises a first portion fixed to an upper race of the housing, and a second portion held in contact with an upper face of the lens unit, the elastically deformable portion being disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

3. The image sensor module according to claim 2, wherein the first portion of the lens retainer is formed with a projection, the upper face of the housing being formed with a recess for engagement with the projection.

4. The image sensor according to claim 2, wherein the lens retainer covers a portion of the upper face of the lens unit except for a predetermined central area of the lens unit.

5. The image sensor module according to claim 2, wherein the lens unit includes an upper portion protruding above the upper face of the housing.

6. The image sensor module according to claim 2, wherein the lens retainer includes an intermediate portion between the first portion and the second portion, the intermediate portion being formed with a recess for thickness reduction.

7. The image sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the first lens has a positioning projection, the second lens having a recess for engagement with the positioning projection.

8. The image sensor module according to claim 1, further comprising an additional step portion located below the first-mentioned step portion, and an optical filter installed on the additional step portion.