Lens drive device

• US 9,459,464 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Minamisawa, Shinji, Yanagisawa, Katsushige, Wade, Tatsuki, Takeda, Tadashi, Miyazaki, Kiyoshi, Ishihara, Hisahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kakalec, Kimberly N
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCGEE, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US13/518,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 359554-557, 359/811, 359813-814, 359/819, 359822-824, 396 52- 55, 356/4.04, 348/208.99, 3482081-2085, 3482087-20811, 34820812-20813
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0007 Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur imaging systems in general using optical elements for stabilisation of the position of the image G02B27/64
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/10 Power-operated focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/02 Lateral adjustment of lens
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/031 of the permanent magnet type
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/685 performed by mechanical compensation

Abstract

A lens drive device may include a first holding body, a second holding body, a fixed body which holds the second holding body, a first drive mechanism to drive the first holding body, a second drive mechanism to drive the second holding body, a third drive mechanism structured to drive the second holding body in a different direction than the second drive mechanism, an elastic member having a fixed part which is fixed to the second holding body and a deformable part, and plural wires in a substantially straight line shape with one end side fixed to the deformable part and the other end side fixed to the fixed body.

Claims

1. A lens drive device comprising:

a first holding body configured to hold a lens and movable in an optical axis direction of the lens;

a second holding body configured to hold the first holding body so that the first holding body is movable in the optical axis direction;

a fixed body configured to hold the second holding body so that the second holding body is movable in a first direction and second direction, the first direction and the second direction being substantially mutually perpendicular and substantially perpendicular to the optical axis direction;

a first drive mechanism which is structured to drive the first holding body in the optical axis direction;

a second drive mechanism which is structured to drive the second holding body in the first direction;

a third drive mechanism which is structured to drive the second holding body in the second direction;

an elastic member having a fixed part which is fixed to the second holding body and a deformable part which is capable of being elastically deformed in the optical axis direction;

plural wires in a substantially straight line shape each having a first end fixed to the deformable part and a second end fixed to the fixed body; and

a connecting plate spring which connects the first holding body with the second holding body

wherein the second holding body is supported by the fixed body so as to be movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis direction through the plural wires;

wherein the plural wires are inclined with respect to the optical axis direction so that the first ends of the plural wires are widened with respect to the second ends of the plural wires when viewed in the first or second direction;

wherein the deformable part is elastically deformed in the optical axis direction by a force smaller than a buckling load of the wire;

wherein the elastic member is a plate spring which is disposed so that its thickness direction;

is the optical axis direction;

wherein the plate spring and the connecting plate spring are integrally formed with each other.

2. The lens drive device according to claim 1, wherein

the deformable part is disposed at four positions at a pitch of substantially 90°

with a center of the second holding body as a substantial center, and

the plural wires are inclined with respect to the optical axis direction so that the second ends of the plural wires are directed toward a center axis of the second holding body which is substantially parallel to the optical axis direction.

3. The lens drive device according to claim 2, wherein the plural wires are four wires and each of the four wires is fixed to each of the four positions of the deformable part.

4. The lens drive device according to claim 3, wherein the four wires are disposed so that two wires are superposed on each other when viewed in the first direction and two wires are superposed on each other when viewed in the second direction.

5. The lens drive device according to claim 2, wherein the first ends of the plural wires are fixed to the deformable part at a substantially equal distance from the center of the second holding body when viewed in the optical axis direction.

6. The lens drive device according to claim 5, wherein inclinations of the plural wires with respect to the optical axis direction when viewed in the first direction are substantially equal to inclinations of the plural wires with respect to the optical axis direction when viewed in the second direction.

7. The lens drive device according to claim 5, wherein

the elastic member is disposed on one end side of the second holding body in the optical axis direction, and

a center of a drive force of the second drive mechanism and a center of a drive force of the third drive mechanism in the optical axis direction are located on the one end side of the second holding body in the optical axis direction with respect to a center of the second holding body in the optical axis direction.

8. The lens drive device according to claim 5, further comprising an abutting member for preventing buckling of the wire,

wherein the abutting member is abutted with the second holding body when the deformable part is elastically deformed in the optical axis direction, and

wherein the abutting member is formed or fixed to the fixed body.

9. The lens drive device according to claim 1, wherein the one end sides of the plural wires are fixed to the deformable part at a substantially equal distance from the center of the second holding body when viewed in the optical axis direction.

10. The lens drive device according to claim 9, wherein the elastic member is disposed on one end side of the second holding body in the optical axis direction, and

a center of a drive force of the second drive mechanism and a center of a drive force of the third drive mechanism in the optical axis direction are located on the one end side of the second holding body in the optical axis direction with respect to a center of the second holding body in the optical axis direction.

11. The lens drive device according to claim 9, further comprising an abutting member for preventing buckling of the wire,

wherein the abutting member is abutted with the second holding body when the deformable part is elastically deformed in the optical axis direction, and

wherein the abutting member is formed or fixed to the fixed body.

12. The lens drive device according to claim 9, further comprising a connecting plate spring which connects the first holding body with the second holding body,

wherein the elastic member is a plate spring which is disposed so that its thickness direction is the optical axis direction;

and

wherein the plate spring and the connecting plate spring are integrally formed with each other.

13. The lens drive device according to claim 1, wherein inclinations of the plural wires with respect to the optical axis direction when viewed in the first direction are substantially equal to inclinations of the plural wires with respect to the optical axis direction when viewed in the second direction.

14. The lens drive device according to claim 13, further comprising a connecting plate spring which connects the first holding body with the second holding body,

wherein the elastic member is a plate spring which is disposed so that its thickness direction is the optical axis direction;

and

wherein the plate spring and the connecting plate spring are integrally formed with each other.

15. The lens drive device according to claim 1, wherein

the elastic member is disposed on one end side of the second holding body in the optical axis direction, and

a center of a drive force of the second drive mechanism and a center of a drive force of the third drive mechanism in the optical axis direction are located on the one end side of the second holding body in the optical axis direction with respect to a center of the second holding body in the optical axis direction.

16. The lens drive device according to claim 1, further comprising an abutting member for preventing buckling of the wire,

wherein the abutting member is abutted with the second holding body when the deformable part is elastically deformed in the optical axis direction, and

wherein the abutting member is formed or fixed to the fixed body.

17. The lens drive device according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting plate spring which connects the first holding body with the second holding body,

wherein the elastic member is a plate spring which is disposed so that its thickness direction is the optical axis direction;

and

wherein the plate spring and the connecting plate spring are integrally formed with each other.