Patent Application
20250102758
The present invention relates to a driving mechanism, and, in particular, it relates to a driving mechanism for moving an optical element.
As technology has advanced, a lot of electronic devices (for example, laptop computers and smartphones) have incorporated the functionality of taking photographs and recording video. These electronic devices have become more commonplace, and have been developed to be more convenient and thin. More and more options are provided for users to choose from.
Electronic devices usually use several coils and magnets for adjusting the focus of a lens. However, miniaturization of these electronic devices may increase the difficulty of mechanical design, and it may also lead to low reliability and a low positioning accuracy of the driving mechanism. It has been a challenge to address this problem.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a driving mechanism for moving an optical element. The driving mechanism includes a fixed part, a movable part, and a driving assembly. The movable part is movably connected to the fixed part for holding the optical element. The driving assembly is configured for moving the optical element relative to the fixed part.
In some embodiments, the driving assembly includes a first coil, a second coil, and a first magnetic element. The first and second coils are affixed to the fixed part and at least partially overlap along the optical axis. The first magnetic element is disposed on the movable part and located adjacent to the first and second coils.
The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The making and using of the embodiments of the driving mechanism are discussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the embodiments provide many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the embodiments, and do not limit the scope of the disclosure.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It should be appreciated that each term, which is defined in a commonly used dictionary, should be interpreted as having a meaning conforming to the relative skills and the background or the context of the present disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner unless defined otherwise.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, and in which specific embodiments of which the invention may be practiced are shown by way of illustration. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the figures being described. The components of the present invention can be positioned in a number of different orientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for the purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting.
Referring to
The driving mechanism 100 primarily comprises a hollow housing H, a base B, a flexible circuit board P, a holder LH, a frame F, a clamping member N, a plurality of resilient elements S, and a plurality of metal wires W. In this embodiment, the flexible circuit board P is adhered to the base B. The housing H has a hollow structure affixed to the base B, thus forming a fixed part of the driving mechanism 100.
The holder LH and the frame F are movably received in the housing H, wherein the holder LH is configured for holding an optical element (not shown). Here, the holder LH and the frame F constitute a movable part of the driving mechanism 100 that can move relative to the fixed part (the housing H and the base B).
In this embodiment, the resilient elements S are connected between the holder LH and the frame F. The metal wires W extend along the Z axis and are connected between the resilient elements S and the base B.
With the configuration as described above, external light can enter the driving mechanism 100 substantially along the optical axis O (Z axis) of the optical element, and light can propagate through the optical element to an image sensor (not shown) below the base B to form a digital image.
It should be noted that the holder LH has a first member LH1 and a second member LH2 affixed to each other. Two vertical coils C1 are disposed on opposite sides of the holder LH, and two first magnetic elements M1 (e.g. magnets) are disposed on opposite sides of the frame F, corresponding to the vertical coils C1.
When a current signal is applied to the vertical coils C1, an electromagnetic force can be generated by the vertical coils C1 and the first magnetic elements M1, so that the holder LH and the optical element received therein are driven to move relative to the frame F along the optical axis O (Z axis) to achieve the function of auto-focusing (AF) or optical Image stabilization (OIS).
In this embodiment, the clamping member N is affixed to the top side of the frame F. Two rods L are clamped between the holder LH and the clamping member N. The holder LH can stably slide relative to the frame F along the rods L which are parallel to the optical axis O and the Z axis.
The flexible circuit board P has a C-shaped main body P1 and a bent portion P2 bent relative to the main body P1. A horizontal coil C2 is disposed beneath the bent portion P2, and a second magnetic element M2 (e.g. magnet) is disposed on the frame F and adjacent to the horizontal coil C2. The horizontal coil C2 is electrically connected to the bent portion P2 of the flexible circuit board P. The horizontal coil C2 and the second magnetic element M2 are arranged along the Z axis, and the long axis of the horizontal coil C2 is perpendicular to the optical axis O (Z axis).
In addition, a metal member Q and at least a positioning post Q1 are disposed on the bent portion P2 of the flexible circuit board P. Two positioning posts Q1 extend through the metal member Q, the bent portion P2, and the horizontal coil C2. Therefore, the horizontal coil C2 can be precisely positioned on the bent portion P2. In this embodiment, the horizontal coil C2 comprises an enameled wire.
When a current signal is applied to the horizontal coil C2, an electromagnetic force can be generated by the horizontal coil C2 and the second magnetic element M2, so that the holder LH and the frame Fare driven to move relative to the base B along a first axis (Y axis) to achieve the function of auto-focusing (AF) or optical Image stabilization (OIS).
It can be seen in
In this embodiment, a plurality of coils are disposed inside the circuit substrates PC and located adjacent to the first magnetic element M1. When a current signal is applied to the coils inside the circuit substrates PC, an electromagnetic force can be generated by the coils and the first magnetic element M1, so that the holder LH and the frame F are driven to move relative to the base B along a second axis (X axis) to achieve the function of auto-focusing (AF) or optical Image stabilization (OIS).
The vertical coils C1, the horizontal coils C2, the first and second magnetic elements M1 and M2, and the first and second coils C1 and C2 (
Moreover, as shown in
The frame F has two plastic bodys F1 and a U-shaped metal bracket F2 (
As shown in
Specifically, a first coil PC1 and two second coils PC2 are disposed inside the circuit substrate PC and arranged along the Z axis. The first and second coils PC1 and PC2 (e.g. planar coils) are electrically connected to the flexible circuit board P and located adjacent to the first magnetic element M1, and they at least partially overlap along the Z axis.
The length of the first coil PC1 along the Y axis is greater than the length of the second coils PC2 along the Y axis. Moreover, a position sensor HS (e.g. Hall effect sensor) is provided on the flexible circuit board P and accommodated in a groove PC0 of the circuit substrate PC. The position sensor HS is located between the two second coils PC2 to detect the displacement of the movable part relative to the fixed part along the X axis.
It should be noted that the position sensor HS is lower than the center of the first magnetic element M1 in the Z axis. Here, the position sensor HS and the first magnetic element M1 at least partially overlap along the X axis, and the position sensor HS and the second coil PC2 at least partially overlap along the Y axis.
In this embodiment, the second coils PC2 do not protrude from the first coil PC1 along the Y axis. The position sensor HS and the first coil PC1 do not overlap along the Y axis. Moreover, the position sensor HS and the first coil PC1 at least partially overlap along the Z axis, and the position sensor HS and the second coil PC2 do not overlap along the Z axis.
It can be seen in
Moreover, the second magnetic unit m2 and the position sensor HS at least partially overlap along the X axis. The first magnetic unit m1 and the position sensor HS do not overlap along the X axis.
In this embodiment, the long axis of the first magnetic element M1 is parallel to the Y axis (the first axis). The circuit substrate PC and the first magnetic element M1 are spaced apart from each other along the X axis (the second axis).
Referring to
It should be noted that at least one magnetic permeable sheet J is disposed on the base B, as shown in
In this embodiment, the magnetic permeability of the magnetic permeable sheet J is higher than the magnetic permeability of the metal sheet T, wherein the second magnetic unit m2 is located between the metal sheet T and the magnetic permeable sheet J after assembly.
As shown in
As shown in
It can be seen in
In this embodiment, the hardness of the buffer element FR is smaller than the hardness of the base B and the plastic body F1 of the frame F. In addition, the hardness of the plastic body F1 is smaller than the hardness of the base B.
As shown in
In this embodiment, the top end of the positioning post Q1 may be adhered to the housing H during assembly, thus improving the structural strength and reliability of the driving mechanism 100.
It can be seen from
With the configuration of the driving mechanism 100, the first magnetic element M1 can be used as a common magnetic element for the holder LH and the frame F, thereby reducing the size of the driving mechanism 100 and achieving the function of auto-focusing (AF) or Optical Image stabilization (OIS). Moreover, with the first electronic element E1 positioned corresponding to the second magnetic element M2, the number of the sensing magnets can be reduced, so as to achieve miniaturization and lightweight of the driving mechanism 100. Additionally, with the position sensor HS positioned between the second coils PC2, crosstalk errors caused by rotation of the movable part relative to the fixed part can be efficiently suppressed, thereby improving sensing accuracy of the driving mechanism 100.
Although some embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. For example, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that many of the features, functions, processes, and materials described herein may be varied while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification.
As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps. Moreover, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/584,983, filed Sep. 25, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63584983 | Sep 2023 | US |
