Patent Application
20190335070
The subject matter relates to imaging devices.
A lens module comprises a lens, a lens holder, an optical filter, an image sensor, and a circuit board. During assembly, the lens is mounted in the lens holder, and the optical filter is glued to the lens holder containing the lens. After the image sensor is glued on the circuit board, the lens holder containing the lens and the optical filter is glued to the circuit board, to position the lens above the image sensor. However, before the lens holder containing the lens and the optical filter is glued to the circuit board, the image sensor is exposed to outside environment, which may cause pollution by dust or other particles in the air. When light from the lens arrives at the image sensor to form images, stains may appear in images, thus lowering the imaging quality.
Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.
Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous components. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.
The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and the like.
At block 11, a circuit board 10, an image sensor 20, an optical filter 30, and a hollow mounting frame 40 are provided.
In at least one embodiment, the circuit board 10 is a printed circuit board, for example, a rigid board, a flexible board, or a rigid-flexible board. The circuit board 10 has a connector 11 on one surface, and a plurality of electronic components 12 on another opposite surface. The circuit board 10 can support the electronic components 12 and provide connections for the electronic components 12.
In at least one embodiment, the mounting frame 40 is substantially square, and has four first sides 41 connected end-to-end. The first sides 41 cooperatively define a receiving hole 42. A width of the receiving hole 42 is greater than a width of the image sensor 20.
In at least one embodiment, the image sensor 20 can be a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor or a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) sensor.
At block 12, the image sensor 20 is glued to the circuit board 10 through a first adhesive layer 21.
In at least one embodiment, the image sensor 20 is glued to the surface of the circuit board 10 having the electronic components 12.
In at least one embodiment, a size of the first adhesive layer 21 is substantially equal to a size of the image sensor 20.
At block 13, the optical filter 30 is glued to a surface of the mounting frame 40 through a second adhesive layer 31, and another surface of the mounting frame 40 is glued to the circuit board 10 through a third adhesive layer 43, to enclose the receiving hole 42 with the optical filter 30 and the circuit board 10. Then, the optical filter 30, the mounting frame 40, and the circuit board 10 cooperatively define a closed space 101 for enclosing the image sensor 20.
In at least one embodiment, when the mounting frame 40 is glued to the circuit board 10, the electronic components 40 are positioned outside the mounting frame 40.
In at least one embodiment, an edge of each first side 41 of the mounting frame 40 adjacent to the receiving hole 42 is recessed to form a stepped portion 410. The optical filter 30 is glued to the stepped portion 410, causing the optical filter 30 to be flush with the mounting frame 40. The optical filter 30 is substantially square. The second adhesive layer 31 is applied as the outline of a square, and comprises four second sides 310 connected end-to-end. The second sides 310 correspond to four edges of the optical filter 30.
In at least one embodiment, the third adhesive layer 43 is applied as the outline of a square, and comprises four third sides 430 connected end-to-end. The third sides 430 correspond to the first sides 41 of the mounting frame 40.
At block 14, a lens 50 and a lens holder 60 are provided.
In at least one embodiment, the lens 50 can be made of resin. The lens holder 60 is hollow, and comprises a square first holder portion 61 and a round second holder portion 62 formed at a side of the first holder portion 61. The first holder portion 61 defines a round first hole 610. The second holder portion 62 extends from an inner wall of the first hole 610. The second holder portion 62 defines a second hole 620 communicating with the first hole 610. The first hole 610 and the second hole 620 cooperatively form a mounting hole 600.
At block 15, the lens 50 is mounted in the lens holder 60 to form a lens unit 70.
In at least one embodiment, the lens 50 is mounted in the mounting hole 600 of the lens holder 60.
At block 16, the lens holder 60 of the lens unit 70 is glued to the circuit board 10 through a fourth adhesive layer 71, to position the lens 50 above the image sensor 20, thereby obtaining the lens module 100.
The first hole 610 can receive the optical filter 30, the mounting frame 40, and the image sensor 20. A size of the closed space 101 (that is, the receiving hole 42) is much smaller than a size of the first hole 610. The closed space 101 is isolated from the first hole 610.
In at least one embodiment, the fourth adhesive layer 71 is applied as the outline of a square, and comprises four fourth sides 710 connected end-to-end. The fourth sides 710 correspond to four edges of the first holder portion 61.
The image sensor 20 is glued to the circuit board 10 through a first adhesive layer 21.
The optical filter 30 is glued to a surface of the mounting frame 40 through a second adhesive layer 31. Another surface of the mounting frame 40 is glued to the circuit board 10 through a third adhesive layer 43, to cause the optical filter 30, the mounting frame 40, and the circuit board 10 to cooperatively define a closed space 101 for receiving the image sensor 20.
The lens unit 70 comprises a lens 50 and a lens holder 60. The lens 50 is mounted in the lens holder 60. The lens holder 60 of the lens unit 70 is glued to the circuit board 10 through a fourth adhesive layer 71, to position the lens 50 above the image sensor 20.
When in use, the optical filter 30 removes infrared light from the light beams passing through the lens 50. The image sensor 20 converts the light beams to electrical signals, and outputs the electrical signals to the circuit board 10. The circuit board 10 processes the electrical signals to form images. The lens module 100 can be mounted to another component of the electronic device through the connector 11.
With the above configuration, the image sensor 20 is received in the closed space 101 before the lens holder 60 is glued to the circuit board. The optical filter 30 and the mounting frame 40 cover the top of the sidewalls of the image sensor 20. Thus, the image sensor 20 is protected from outside environment and dust and other particles in the air cannot pollute the image sensor 20. Furthermore, the closed space 101 having a small size and being isolated from the first hole 610 prevents dust and other particles in the first hole 610 from polluting the image sensor 20. Any dust or other particles falling on the optical filter 30 can be cleaned off by wiping the optical filter 30. Moreover, the mounting frame 40 can prevent any incident light reflected from the electrical components 12 from travelling to the image sensor 20. Thus, light flaring in the lens module 10 is avoided.
Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps of method hereinbefore described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. It is also to be understood that the description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.
Even though information and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present exemplary embodiments, to the full extent indicated by the plain meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201810403645.8 | Apr 2018 | CN | national |
