Alignment of lens and image sensor

• US 8,908,091 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson
• Primary Examiner(s): DAGNEW, MEKONNEN D
• Application Number:
  US14/302,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20140293126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• Field of Search: 348/374, 348/340, 250/208.1, 250/234, 438/64, 438/69
• US Class Current: 348/374
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/27 for testing the alignment of axes means for centering or aligning a light guide within a ferrule G02B6/3834
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

Embodiments related to the alignment of a lens with an image sensor in an optical device are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises an optical device including a printed circuit board, and an image sensor package mounted on the printed circuit board, wherein the image sensor package includes an image sensor. The optical system further comprises a lens holder including a lens, and one or more alignment features arranged on the lens holder. The one or more alignment features are configured to contact the image sensor package to mechanically align the lens holder with the image sensor package.

Claims

1. An optical system, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an image sensor package mounted on the printed circuit board, the image sensor package including an image sensor; and

a lens holder mounted on the printed circuit board and in contact with the printed circuit board, the lens holder including one or more alignment features that contact the image sensor package and mechanically align the lens holder with the image sensor package, the one or more alignment features comprising a recessed portion of the lens holder having one or more protrusions arranged on an inside surface of the recessed portion, the one or more protrusions extending towards the printed circuit board from the inside surface of the recessed portion, and each protrusion comprising a straight inner edge extending in a direction parallel to a line that forms a first angle with a side of the image sensor package and toward the printed circuit board to an end of the protrusion closest to the printed circuit board, and each protrusion of the one or more protrusions contacting each of one or more sides of the image sensor package along a direction extending toward the printed circuit board while being spaced from the printed circuit board;

wherein the first angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

2. The optical system of claim 1, where the one or more alignment features are complementary to one or more geometrical features of the image sensor package.

3. The optical system of claim 1, where the image sensor package includes an image sensor package cover plate, and where the one or more alignment features are configured to mechanically align the lens holder with the image sensor package cover plate.

4. The optical system of claim 1, where the image sensor package comprises a corner, and where the one or more alignment features are configured to mechanically align the lens holder with the corner.

5. The optical system of claim 1, where the optical system comprises a depth-sensing camera.

6. The optical system of claim 1, where the optical system comprises a webcam.

7. A method for aligning a lens holder with an image sensor package mounted on a printed circuit board, the lens holder mounted on the printed circuit board and in contact with the printed circuit board, the lens holder comprising one or more alignment features, the one or more alignment features comprising one or more protrusions located in a recessed portion of the lens holder, the one or more protrusions extending along a direction towards the printed circuit board, each protrusion comprising a straight inner edge extending in a direction parallel to a line that forms a first angle with a side of the image sensor package and toward the printed circuit board to an end of the protrusion closest to the printed circuit board and along the side of the image sensor package, and the image sensor package comprising an image sensor, the method comprising:

placing the lens holder proximate to the image sensor package;

aligning the lens holder to the image sensor package by contacting the straight inner edge of the one or more protrusions in the recessed portion of the lens holder with one or more sides of the image sensor package that extend along a direction toward the printed circuit board such that the lens holder is in contact with the printed circuit board; and

fixing the lens holder to the printed circuit board such that the one or more protrusions remain in contact with each of the one or more sides of the image sensor package that extend along the direction toward the printed circuit board and such that the one or more protrusions remained spaced from the printed circuit board;

wherein the first angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

8. The method of claim 7, where contacting the one or more alignment features with the one or more geometrical sensor package features comprises contacting the one or more alignment features to an image sensor package cover plate.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising placing the lens holder and printed circuit board into a webcam.

10. The method of claim 7, where contacting the one or more alignment features with the one or more geometrical sensor package features comprises contacting the one or more alignment features to a sensor package corner.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising placing the lens holder and printed circuit board into a depth-sensing camera.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising placing the lens holder and printed circuit board into the depth-sensing camera without performing any additional lens-to-image sensor alignment processes after the fixing of the lens holder to the one or more of the image sensor package and the printed circuit board.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the lens holder and printed circuit board are placed into the depth-sensing camera before fixing the lens holder to the one or more of the image sensor package and the printed circuit board.

14. A camera, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an image sensor package mounted on a printed circuit board, the image sensor package comprising an image sensor and an image sensor package cover plate, the image sensor package comprising a sensor package corner; and

a lens holder mounted on the printed circuit board and in contact with the printed circuit board, the lens holder including one or more alignment features located on an interior side of the lens holder, wherein the one or more alignment features are complementary to one or more of the image sensor package cover plate and the sensor package corner, and wherein the one or more alignment features contact one or more of the image sensor package cover plate and the sensor package corner and mechanically align the lens holder with the image sensor package,

the one or more alignment features further comprising a recessed portion of the lens holder, the recessed portion having one or more protrusions arranged on an inside surface, the one or more protrusions extending along a direction extending toward the printed circuit board from the inside surface of the recessed portion, and contacting each of one or more sides of the image sensor package along the direction extending toward the printed circuit board while being spaced from the printed circuit board, each protrusion comprising an inner edge extending in a direction parallel to a line that forms a first angle with a side of the image sensor package and toward the printed circuit board to an end of the protrusion closest to the printed circuit board.

15. The camera of claim 14, wherein the camera is a depth-sensing camera.

16. The camera of claim 14, wherein the camera is a webcam.

17. The camera of claim 14, wherein the inner edge extends in a direction parallel to a line that forms a first angle with a side of the image sensor package and toward the printed circuit board to an end of the protrusion closest to the printed circuit board.