Patent Application
20160021283
The present invention relates to a camera module, and more particularly to a camera module for a portable electronic device.
Recently, a mobile communication device, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or other portable electronic device with an image-shooting function is widely used to shoot an object. Moreover, since the portable electronic device is easily carried, the image-shooting function becomes a basic function of the portable electronic device. That is, the portable electronic device is usually equipped with a camera module. Generally, the camera module with the basic function comprises a lens module and a sensing chip. An external light beam may be refracted by the lens module and transmitted through the lens module so as to be imaged. The sensing chip comprises a sensing region. After the external light beam is received by the sensing region, the external light beam is imaged on the sensing region. Consequently, an image is produced.
The imaging operation of the camera module is performed on the sensing region of the sensing chip. If particles are adsorbed on the sensing region, the produced image may contain black dots or stains. Consequently, the shooting quality of the image is reduced. For solving this problem, during the processes of fabricating and assembling the camera module, the demand on the cleanness of the environment is very stringent. For example, the assembling process is performed in a clean room, or the particles outside the camera module are cleaned off after the camera module is assembled.
However, during the assembling process, some particles may fall down into the internal portion of the camera module. Under this circumstance, the particles within the camera module are readily adsorbed on the sensing region. Since the camera module is completely assembled, the particles within the camera module cannot be cleaned off. Therefore, there is a need of providing a camera module and a method for cleaning off the particles within the camera module in order to reduce the possibility of falling down the particles on the sensing region.
An object of the present invention provides a method for cleaning off particles within a camera module in order to reduce the possibility of falling down the particles on the sensing region.
Another object of the present invention provides a camera module for reducing the possibility of falling down the particles on the sensing region.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for cleaning off particles within a camera module. Firstly, a gluing element is attached on a sensing chip of the camera module. The gluing element is located at a side of a sensing region of the sensing chip, and the gluing element is not disposed on the sensing region. Then, the sensing chip and a lens module are combined together as the camera module. Then, the camera module is subject to a vibration. The particles are moved to and adsorbed on the gluing element in response to the vibration of the camera module.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera module. The camera module includes a sensing chip, a lens module and a gluing element. The sensing chip has a sensing region. The sensing region receives an external light beam and produces an image. The lens module covers the sensing chip. After the external light beam passes through the lens module, the external light beam strikes the sensing chip. The gluing element is disposed on the sensing chip and located at a side of the sensing region. When the camera module is subject to a vibration, particles within the camera module are moved to and adsorbed on the gluing element.
From the above descriptions, the present invention provides a method for cleaning off particles within a camera module. During the process of assembling the camera module, gluing elements are attached on a sensing element or an inner sidewall of a lens carrier. Consequently, the gluing elements are disposed within the camera module, and the gluing elements are not overlapped with the sensing region of the sensing chip. After the camera module is assembled, a vibrating means is performed to vibrate the camera module. In response to the vibration of the camera module, the particles within the camera module are moved to and adsorbed on the gluing elements. Consequently, the efficacy of preventing the particles from falling down to the sensing region is achieved. In other words, the cleaning method and the camera module of the present invention can largely reduce the possibility of falling down the particles on the sensing region while maintaining the cleanness of the sensing chip.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
For obviating the drawbacks of the prior art technologies, the present invention provides a camera module and a method for cleaning off the internal particles of the camera module.
Hereinafter, a camera module of the present invention will illustrated with reference to
Please refer to
Hereinafter, a method for cleaning off the particles within the camera module will be illustrated with reference to
In a step A, a gluing element is attached on a sensing chip of the camera module. The gluing element is located at a side of a sensing region of the sensing chip, and the gluing element is not disposed on the sensing region. In a step B, the sensing chip and a lens module are combined together as the camera module. In a step C, the camera module is subject to a vibration, and the particles are moved to and adsorbed on the gluing element in response to the vibration of the camera module.
The detailed procedures of the method for cleaning off the particles within the camera module will be illustrated as follows. Please refer to
After the gluing elements 13 are attached on the sensing chip 11, the step B is performed. That is, the lens carrier 122 of the lens module 12 and the circuit board 112 of the sensing chip 11 are combined together. Moreover, the sensing chip 11 is covered by the lens module 121 and the lens carrier 122, and the sensing chip 11 is not exposed outside. Under this circumstance, the lens assembly 121 is disposed over the sensing element 111 and aligned with the sensing element 111 (see
In this embodiment, the gluing elements 13 are located at two external sides of the sensing region 1111, but are not limited thereto. In another embodiment, only a single gluing element 13 is located at an external side of the sensing region 1111. Moreover, in another embodiment, plural gluing elements 13 are located at all external sides of the sensing region 1111, so that the plural gluing elements 13 are arranged around the sensing region 1111. In case that the plural gluing elements 13 are arranged around the sensing region 1111, the assembly worker may rotate the camera module 1 in order to vibrate the camera module 1. Consequently, in response to the counterforce corresponding to the centripetal force, the plural particles P within the camera module 1 are moved toward the external sides of the sensing region 1111. When the plural particles P are contacted with the gluing elements 13, the plural particles are adsorbed on the gluing elements 13 according to the adhesive properties of the gluing elements 13.
The present invention further comprises a second embodiment, which is distinguished from the first embodiment.
Hereinafter, a method for cleaning off the particles within the camera module will be illustrated with reference to
In a step D, a first gluing element is attached on a sensing chip of the camera module. The gluing element is located at a side of a sensing region of the sensing chip, and the first gluing element is not disposed on the sensing region. In a step E, a second gluing element is attached on an inner sidewall of a lens carrier of a lens module. In a step F, the sensing chip and the lens module are combined together as the camera module. In a step G, the camera module is subject to a vibration, and the particles are moved to and adsorbed on the gluing element in response to the vibration of the camera module.
The step G comprises sub-steps G1 and G2. In the sub-step G1, the camera module is fixed on a vibration generator. In the sub-step G2, the vibration generator is enabled to vibrate the camera module.
The detailed procedures of the method for cleaning off the particles within the camera module will be illustrated as follows. Please refer to
After the plural second gluing elements 24 are attached on the plural inner sidewalls 2221 of the lens carrier 222, the step F is performed. That is, the lens carrier 222 of the lens module 22 and the circuit board 212 of the sensing chip 21 are combined together. Moreover, the sensing chip 21 is covered by the lens module 221 and the lens carrier 222, and the sensing chip 21 is not exposed outside. Consequently, the lens assembly 221 is disposed over the sensing element 211 and aligned with the sensing element 211. Moreover, the plural first gluing elements 23 and the neighboring second gluing elements 24 are perpendicular to each other. The resulting structure of the combination of the lens carrier 222 and the circuit board 212 is shown in
After the camera module 2 is assembled, the step G1 is performed. That is, the camera module 2 is fixed on a vibration generator (not shown). Then, the sub-step G2 is performed. That is, the vibration generator is enabled to drive the camera module 2, so that the camera module 2 is subject to a vibration. In response to the vibration of the camera module 2, the plural particles P within the camera module 2 are moved to the plural first gluing elements 23 at the external sides of the sensing region 2111, or the plural particles P within the camera module 2 are moved to the plural second gluing elements 24 on the plural inner sidewalls 2221 of the lens carrier 222. In this embodiment, the plural first gluing elements 23 and the plural second gluing elements 24 are double-sided tapes. An example of the vibration generator is a centrifuge, an electric field generator or a robotic arm.
In comparison with the camera module 1 of the first embodiment, the camera module 2 of this embodiment is additionally equipped with the plural second gluing elements 24 on the plural inner sidewalls 2221 of the lens carrier 222. Consequently, more particles P can be adsorbed on the plural first gluing elements 23 or the plural second gluing elements 24. The method for cleaning off the particles within the camera module according to this embodiment is distinguished from the method of the first embodiment by the following two items. Firstly, the plural second gluing elements 24 are disposed on the plural inner sidewalls 2221 of the lens carrier 222. Moreover, the vibration generator is used to vibrate the camera module 2. Since the vibration applied to the camera module 2 is enhanced, the possibility of falling down the particles P on the sensing region 2111 is largely reduced.
Moreover, the following two aspects should be specially described. Firstly, in this embodiment, the step D is performed before the step E. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the step E is performed before the step D. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the step D and the step D are simultaneously done. Secondly, the camera module may be modified. It is known that plural first contacts (not shown) are disposed on the sensing element 211 and plural second contacts (not shown) corresponding to the plural first contacts are disposed on the circuit board 212. Moreover, the first contacts are connected with the corresponding second contacts through corresponding gold traces (not shown). Since the plural first contacts are located at a side of the sensing region 2111 and are not disposed on the sensing region 2111, the plural first gluing elements 23 may be disposed on the first contacts and the corresponding gold traces. Since the plural first gluing elements 23 may be disposed on the first contacts and the corresponding gold traces, other components may be the original locations of the plural first gluing elements 23. Consequently, the utilization of the internal space of the camera module 2 is enhanced. Moreover, the efficacy of preventing the particles from falling down to the sensing region is achieved, and the first contacts and the corresponding gold traces are protected by the plural first gluing elements 23.
From the above descriptions, the present invention provides a method for cleaning off particles within a camera module. During the process of assembling the camera module, gluing elements are attached on a sensing element or an inner sidewall of a lens carrier. Consequently, the gluing elements are disposed within the camera module, and the gluing elements are not overlapped with the sensing region of the sensing chip. After the camera module is assembled, a vibrating means is performed to vibrate the camera module. In response to the vibration of the camera module, the particles within the camera module are moved to and adsorbed on the gluing elements. Consequently, the efficacy of preventing the particles from falling down to the sensing region is achieved. In other words, the cleaning method and the camera module of the present invention can largely reduce the possibility of falling down the particles on the sensing region while maintaining the cleanness of the sensing chip.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103124724 | Jul 2014 | TW | national |
