Camera module

• US 9,822,254 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ticona LLC (Celanese Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ticona LLC (Celanese Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISNER, NOAM S
• Application Number:
  US14/675,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20150291796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/3045 Sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/325 Calcium, strontium or barium phosphate
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/003 Additives being defined by their diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/013 Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/32 Phosphorus-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/10 Silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 7/14 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/03 the dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds having the carboxyl- and the hydroxy groups directly linked to aromatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 77/12 Polyester-amides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/38 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/3809 Polyesters; Polyester derivatives, e.g. polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2019/521 Inorganic solid particles

Abstract

A camera module containing a molded part (e.g., generally planar base, lens barrel mounted on the base, etc.) that is formed from a polymer composition is provided. The polymer composition includes a liquid crystalline polymer and inorganic particles that have a hardness value of about 2.5 or more based on the Mohs hardness scale.

Claims

1. A camera module that comprises a molded part, wherein the molded part is formed from a polymer composition that comprises a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and inorganic particles having a hardness value of 2.5 to 4.5 based on the Mohs hardness scale, wherein the inorganic particles have a median width of from 2 to 20 micrometers, wherein the molded part has a Rockwell hardness value of 50 or more as determined in accordance with ASTM D785-08 (Scale M).

2. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises a generally planar base on which is mounted a lens barrel, wherein the base, barrel, or both contain the molded part.

3. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the molded part has a thickness of about 500 micrometers or less.

4. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles have a hardness value of from about 3.0 to about 3.5 based on the Mohs hardness scale.

5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition further includes calcium pyrophosphate.

6. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles include barium sulfate.

7. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles constitute from about 3 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the polymer composition.

8. The camera module of claim 1, wherein liquid crystalline polymers constitute from about 25 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the composition.

9. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer contains aromatic ester repeating units.

10. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the aromatic ester repeating units are aromatic dicarboxylic acid repeating units, aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid repeating units, or a combination thereof.

11. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the polymer further contains aromatic diol repeating units.

12. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer contains repeating units derived from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, terephthalic acid, hydroquinone, 4,4′

-biphenol, acetaminophen, 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, 2,6-naphthelene dicarboxylic acid, or a combination thereof.

13. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition further comprises mineral fibers.

14. The camera module of claim 13, wherein the mineral fibers include fibers derived from a silicate.

15. The camera module of claim 14, wherein the silicate is an inosilicate.

16. The camera module of claim 15, wherein the inosilicate includes wollastonite.

17. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a conductive filler, glass filler, silicate filler, functional compound, or a combination thereof.

18. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the molded part has a Rockwell hardness of about 40 more, as determined in accordance with ASTM D785-08 (Scale M).

23. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles constitute from about 20 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the polymer composition.

24. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles have a mean width of from about 3 to about 15 micrometers.

25. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles have a narrow size distribution such that at least about 60% by volume of the particles have a median width of from 2 to 20 micrometers.

19. A polymer composition comprising from about 25 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of at least one thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer, and from about 3 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of inorganic particles having a hardness value of 2.5 to 4.5 based on the Mohs hardness scale, wherein the inorganic particles have a median width of from 2 to 20 micrometers.

20. The polymer composition of claim 19, wherein the inorganic particles have a hardness value of from about 3.0 to about 3.5 based on the Mohs hardness scale.

21. The polymer composition of claim 19, wherein the polymer composition further comprises mineral fibers, wherein the mineral fibers include wollastonite.

22. The polymer composition of claim 19, wherein the polymer composition further includes calcium pyrophosphate.