Image photographing device including diaphragm

• US 7,907,839 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OPTIS Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mutas Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nam, Do-Sun, Shin, Kyung-Sik, Kim, Jeen-Gi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenwick; Warren K
• Application Number:
  US12/089,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20080212959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 396/133, 396/439, 396/449, 396/451, 396/505, 396/510, 396/508
• US Class Current: 396/133
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

An image photographing device including a lens holder including a lens group and a coil unit that generates an electromagnetic force, a housing into which the lens holder is movably inserted, including a magnet that faces the coil unit, an image sensor, and a diaphragm formed of nonmetal and attached to the housing and elastically supporting the lens holder. Accordingly, the diaphragm has a predetermined elasticity although not reducing the thickness, the lens holder can properly follow the signal of the coil unit, the image photographing device is highly producible, and the possibility that the diaphragm is plastically deformed is small. Also, the terminal of the coil unit is connected to a separate terminal unit installed outside the diaphragm, such that the material used to form the diaphragm can be selected regardless of the conductivity, and foreign materials, such as, flux, can be prevented from contaminating the inside of the device and degrading the quality of an image.

Claims

1. An image photographing device comprising:

a lens holder including a lens group and a coil unit that generates an electromagnetic force;

a housing, into which the lens holder is movably inserted, including a magnet that faces the coil unit;

an image sensor converting an optical image obtained through the lens group into an electrical signal; and

a diaphragm attached to the housing, elastically supporting the lens holder which moves in the direction of an optical axis by the electromagnetic force,

wherein the diaphragm is formed of nonmetal.

2. The image photographing device of claim 1, wherein while the lens holder is moving in the direction of the optical axis, the magnification or focus of the lens group is adjusted.

3. The image photographing device of claim 2, wherein the diaphragm is formed of at least one of synthetic resin, rubber, and paper.

4. The image photographing device of claim 3, wherein the synthetic resin is at least one of polymer, laminate, polypropylene, HOP, and cross carbon.

5. The image photographing device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm comprises:

first surfaces attached to the housing;

a second surface attached to the lens holder; and

bridge surfaces connecting the first surfaces to the second surface.

6. The image photographing device of claim 5, wherein the bridge surfaces generate longitudinal differences in the direction of the optical axis between the first surfaces and the second surface.

7. The image photographing device of claim 6, wherein:

the first surfaces are right-left symmetrical to each other on a virtual surface perpendicular to the optical axis; and

the bridge surfaces are right-left and up-down symmetrical to each other on the virtual surface.

8. The image photographing device of claim 7, wherein the bridge surfaces have straight line shapes and connect the first surfaces to the second surface.

9. The image photographing device of claim 7, wherein the bridge surfaces have curved line shapes with steep inflection points formed at centers of the bridge surfaces and connect the first surfaces to the second surface.

10. The image photographing device of claim 9, wherein the bridge surfaces have C-shaped notches at portions connected to the first surfaces.

11. The image photographing device of claim 1, wherein the coil unit is formed by winding a coil around the outer circumference of the lens holder.

12. The image photographing device of claim 1, wherein a pair of coil units are located symmetrically about the optical axis.

13. The image photographing device of claim 1, further comprising a terminal unit which applies power to the coil unit and is connected to a terminal of the coil unit by being located outside the diaphragm.

14. The image photographing device of claim 13, wherein the terminal of the coil unit is soldered to the terminal unit.

15. The image photographing device of claim 14, wherein a portion of the coil unit extending to be connected to the terminal unit is fixed to the diaphragm by an adhesive.

16. An image photographing device comprising:

a lens holder including a lens group and a coil unit that generates an electromagnetic force;

a housing, into which the lens holder is movably inserted, including a magnet that faces the coil unit;

an image sensor converting an optical image obtained through the lens group into an electrical signal;

a diaphragm attached to the housing, elastically supporting the lens holder which moves in the direction of an optical axis by the electromagnetic force; and

a terminal unit connected to a terminal of the coil unit by being located outside the diaphragm, applying power to the coil unit.

17. The image photographing device of claim 16, wherein the terminal of the coil unit is soldered to the terminal unit.

18. The image photographing device of claim 17, wherein a portion of the coil unit extending to be connected to the terminal unit is fixed to the diaphragm by an adhesive.

19. An image photographing device comprising:

a first lens holder including a first lens group and a first coil unit that generates an electromagnetic force, the first lens holder moving in the direction of an optical axis to adjust zooming magnification;

a second lens holder including a second lens group and a second coil unit that generates an electromagnetic force, the second lens holder moving in the direction of the optical axis to adjust focusing;

a housing, into which the first and second lens holders are movably inserted, including magnets that face the first and second coil units;

an image sensor converting optical images obtained through the first and second lens groups into electrical signals;

a first diaphragm attached to the housing, elastically supporting the first lens holder which moves in the direction of the optical axis upon control of the magnification of the first lens group;

a second diaphragm attached to the housing, elastically supporting the second lens holder which moves in the direction of the optical axis upon control of the focus of the second lens group, and

terminal units which apply power to the first and second coil units and are connected to terminals of the first and second coil units by being located outside the first and second diaphragms,

wherein the first and second diaphragms are formed of nonmetal.