CN116540380A

CN116540380A - Lens driving apparatus and camera module including the same

Info

Publication number: CN116540380A
Application number: CN202211389719.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 白承润; 李敬勳
Original assignee: Samsung Electro Mechanics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electro Mechanics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-11-08
Filing date: 2022-11-08
Publication date: 2023-08-04

Abstract

The application provides a lens driving apparatus and a camera module including the same. The lens driving apparatus includes a carrier and an image stabilizing unit including a lens holder for a lens barrel and a support frame having a quadrangular frame structure including four corner areas and supporting the lens holder. The lens holder is disposed in the carrier. The image stabilizing unit is configured to move the lens holder in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction. The support frame includes a first sub-frame including a connection type molding portion connecting three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and an island type molding portion separated from the connection type molding portion and disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure, and a second sub-frame made of a material having a higher strength than that of the first sub-frame and connecting the four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and combined with the connection type molding portion and the island type molding portion.

Description

Lens driving apparatus and camera module including the same

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a lens driving apparatus and a camera module including the same.

Background

With the rapid development of information communication technology and semiconductor technology, the supply and use of electronic devices have increased dramatically. Electronic devices perform not only functions in their own conventional technical fields, but also functions from various technical fields and combined functions.

Camera modules have become standard features in portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and laptop computers, and an Auto Focus (AF) function, an Image Stabilization (IS) function, and a zoom function are generally included in camera modules provided in portable electronic devices.

The image stabilization function may include camera shake correction and hand shake correction, and when unintentional hand shake or camera shake occurs at the time of capturing an image of a subject, blurring of the image of the subject may be prevented.

The auto-focusing function allows a clear image to be acquired on an imaging plane of an image sensor by moving a lens located in front of the image sensor in the optical axis direction according to a distance from an object.

As electronic devices providing camera modules become thinner, the camera modules must also become thinner, and in order to realize thinner camera modules, constituent elements of the camera modules must also become thinner, and at the same time, great rigidity is required.

The above information disclosed in this background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In one general aspect, a lens driving apparatus includes a carrier and an image stabilizing unit including a lens holder configured to hold a lens barrel and a support frame having a quadrangular frame structure including four corner regions and supporting the lens holder, the support frame and the lens holder being disposed in the carrier, the image stabilizing unit being configured to move the lens holder relative to the carrier in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the lens holder, wherein the support frame includes a first sub-frame including a connection type molding portion connecting the three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and an island type molding portion separated from the connection type molding portion and disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure, and a second sub-frame made of a material having a higher strength than a material from which the first sub-frame is made, the second sub-frame connecting the four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and being combined with the connection type molding portion and the island type molding portion.

The first subframe may be made of a resin material, and the second subframe may be made of a metal material.

The minimum thickness of the second subframe in the optical axis direction may be smaller than the minimum thickness of the first subframe in the optical axis direction.

The connection type molding part may include guide grooves in three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure, and the island type molding part may include guide grooves in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure.

The guide groove of the connection type molding portion and the guide groove of the island type molding portion may extend in the same direction.

The second subframe may further include a curved column curved from the second subframe in the optical axis direction in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and embedded in the island-type mold portion.

The curved post may include two curved posts facing in two directions orthogonal to each other.

The second sub-frame may include a coupling hole that extends in the optical axis direction in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and is filled with a material of the island type mold portion.

The second subframe may include a stepped portion formed by: the second sub-frame is bent to lower a portion of the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction in a region of the quadrangular frame structure in which the second sub-frame is combined with the connection mold portion.

The step portion may include two steps in the second subframe, the two steps being disposed parallel to each other in a diagonal direction of the second subframe.

The lens holder may be disposed on the support frame, and the image stabilizing magnet may be disposed on a portion of an outer side of the lens holder corresponding to a space between an end of the connection mold portion and the island mold portion.

The lower end of the image stabilizing magnet may be disposed lower than the bottom of the connection type molding portion or the bottom of the island type molding portion.

In another general aspect, a camera module includes: a housing; a lens barrel in which at least one lens is disposed; a carrier disposed in the housing; a focusing unit configured to move the carrier relative to the housing in an optical axis direction of the at least one lens; and an image stabilizing unit including a lens holder in which the lens barrel is disposed, and a support frame having a quadrangular frame structure including four corner areas and supporting the lens holder, the support frame, the lens holder, and the lens barrel being disposed in the carrier, the image stabilizing unit being configured to move the lens holder and the lens barrel relative to the carrier in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction; wherein the support frame includes a first sub-frame including a connection type molding portion connecting three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and an island type molding portion separated from the connection type molding portion and disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure, and a second sub-frame made of a material having a higher strength than that of the material of which the first sub-frame is made, the second sub-frame connecting the four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and being combined with the connection type molding portion and the island type molding portion.

The second sub-frame may include a curved column that is curved from the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and is embedded in the island-type mold portion.

The housing may include a damper provided on an inner bottom surface of the housing and protruding upward toward an outer bottom surface of the carrier in the optical axis direction.

The damper may include an elastic member.

In another general aspect, a lens driving apparatus includes a carrier and an image stabilizing unit, the image stabilizing unit including a lens holder configured to hold a lens barrel, and a support frame having a quadrangular frame structure including four corner regions and supporting the lens holder, the support frame and the lens holder being disposed in the carrier, the image stabilizing unit configured to move the lens holder relative to the carrier in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the lens holder, wherein the support frame includes a first subframe including two molded portions separated from each other and a second subframe made of a material having a higher strength than a material from which the first subframe is made, the second subframe connecting the four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and being bonded with the two molded portions of the first subframe, and the lens holder includes an image stabilizing magnet mounting surface corresponding to a space between the two molded portions of the first subframe.

The lens holder may further include another image stabilizing magnet mounting surface corresponding to another space between the two molded portions of the first subframe.

The image stabilizing magnet mounting surface and the other image stabilizing magnet mounting surface may be perpendicular to each other and to the optical axis direction.

One of the two molding portions of the first subframe may be a connection type molding portion connecting three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure, and the other of the two molding portions of the first subframe may be an island type molding portion separated from the connection type molding portion and disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a camera module according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 and 4 illustrate perspective views of examples of support frames of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the support frame shown in fig. 4, taken along line V-V' in fig. 4.

Fig. 6 illustrates a lateral side view of an assembled state of a support frame and a lens holder of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 7 illustrates a top view of a housing of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the housing shown in fig. 7, taken along line VIII-VIII' in fig. 7.

Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the drawings and detailed description. The figures may not be to scale and the relative sizes, proportions and descriptions of elements in the figures may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration and convenience.

Detailed Description

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatus, and/or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, devices, and/or systems described herein will be apparent after an understanding of the present disclosure. For example, the order of operations described herein is merely an example and is not limited to those set forth herein, but may be altered as will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of the present application, except that the operations must occur in a particular order. In addition, descriptions of features known in the art may be omitted for the sake of clarity and conciseness.

The features described herein may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples described herein. Rather, the examples described herein are provided merely to illustrate some of the many possible ways to implement the methods, devices, and/or systems described herein that will be apparent after an understanding of the present disclosure.

Throughout the specification, when an element (such as a layer, region or substrate) is described as being on, connected to or coupled to another element, it can be directly on, connected to or coupled to the other element, or there can be one or more other elements intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being directly on, directly connected to, or directly coupled to another element, there may be no other element intervening elements present.

As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any one of the listed items associated and any combination of any two or more of the listed items associated.

Although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers or sections should not be limited by these terms. Rather, these terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first member, component, region, layer or section discussed in examples described herein could also be termed a second member, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the examples.

Spatially relative terms (e.g., "above," "upper," "lower," and "lower") may be used herein to describe one element's relationship to another element as illustrated in the figures for ease of description. Such spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "above" or "upper" relative to another element would then be oriented "below" or "lower" the other element. Thus, the term "above" includes both orientations above and below, depending on the spatial orientation of the device. The device may also be oriented in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing various examples only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. The articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," and "having" are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, operations, elements, and/or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, elements, and/or groups thereof.

The phrase "in a plan view" or "on a plane" refers to the target portion being viewed from the top, and the phrase "in a cross-sectional view" or "on a cross-section" refers to a cross-section formed by vertically cutting the target portion from the side.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a camera module according to an embodiment, and fig. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the camera module 200 according to the present embodiment includes a lens barrel 220, a lens driving device 250 for moving the lens barrel 220, an image sensor unit 260 for converting light input through the lens barrel 220 into an electrical signal, a housing 210 for accommodating the lens barrel 220 and the lens driving device 250, and a cover 213.

The lens barrel 220 may have a cylindrical hollow space for accommodating a plurality of lenses for photographing an object into the lens barrel 220, and the lenses are installed in the lens barrel 220 along an optical axis. The required number of lenses may be set according to the design of the lens barrel 220, and the respective lenses may have optical characteristics, such as the same or different refractive indexes. In the figure, the optical axis may be set as the z-axis.

The lens driving apparatus 250 moves the lens barrel 220, and includes a focusing unit 230 for adjusting a focus of the camera module 200 and an image stabilizing unit 240 for correcting hand shake or shake of the camera module 200.

For example, the lens driving apparatus 250 may move the lens barrel 220 in the optical axis direction (i.e., the z-axis direction in the drawing) using the focusing unit 230 to control the focus, and it may move the lens barrel 220 in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction (i.e., the x-axis or y-axis direction in the drawing) using the image stabilizing unit 240 to correct hand shake or shake at the time of photographing.

The focusing unit 230 includes a carrier 231 for accommodating the lens barrel 220, and a focusing driver for generating a driving force to move the lens barrel 220 and the carrier 231 in the optical axis direction. The focus driver includes a focus magnet 232 and a focus coil 233.

When a power supply voltage is applied to the focusing coil 233, the carriage 231 may be moved in the optical axis direction by an electromagnetic force between the focusing magnet 232 and the focusing coil 233. Since the lens barrel 220 is disposed in the carrier 231, the lens barrel 220 can also move in the optical axis direction with the carrier 231, and the focus can be adjusted.

For example, the focusing magnet 232 may be mounted at one side of the carrier 231, and the focusing coil 233 may be mounted on the housing 210 through the substrate 214. In this example, the focusing magnet 232 is a moving member that is mounted on the carrier 231 and moves in the optical axis direction together with the carrier 231, and the focusing coil 233 is a fixed member fixed to the housing 210. However, this is merely an example, and the positions of the focusing magnet 232 and the focusing coil 233 may be interchanged.

The rolling member 270 may be disposed between the carrier 231 and the housing 210 to reduce friction between the carrier 231 and the housing 210 when the carrier 231 moves. The rolling member 270 may have a spherical shape, and may be disposed at an opposite end of one side of the carrier 231. A guide groove 231a may be formed in the carriage 231 such that the rolling member 270 may be accommodated therein and may be guided in the optical axis direction.

The image stabilizing unit 240 corrects image blurring or video shake due to vibration of a user's hand, such as when capturing an image or video. That is, in the case where shake occurs due to hand shake of the user at the time of photographing, the image stabilizing unit 240 compensates for the shake by providing the lens barrel 220 with a relative displacement corresponding to the shake. For example, the image stabilizing unit 240 corrects shake by moving the lens barrel 220 in x-axis and y-axis directions perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

The image stabilizing unit 240 includes a guide assembly for guiding the movement of the lens barrel 220, and an image stabilizing driver for generating a driving force to move the guide assembly in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

The guide assembly includes a support frame 241 and a lens holder 242. The support frame 241 and the lens holder 242 are inserted into the carrier 231, and disposed in the optical axis direction, and guide the movement of the lens barrel 220.

The support frame 241 and the lens holder 242 provide a space into which the lens barrel 220 can be inserted, and the lens barrel 220 is fixed to the lens holder 242. The lens holder 242 may be formed of a casting having a quadrangular frame shape, and the support frame 241 may have a quadrangular frame structure corresponding to the quadrangular frame shape of the lens holder 242. The image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a may be disposed at two outer sides of the lens holder 242 adjacent to each other and orthogonal to each other.

The image stabilizing driver includes a first image stabilizing driver 244 and a second image stabilizing driver 245, and the first image stabilizing driver 244 and the second image stabilizing driver 245 include image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a and image stabilizing coils 244b and 245b.

The first image stabilizing driver 244 generates a driving force in a first axis direction (x-axis direction) perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and the second image stabilizing driver 245 generates a driving force in a second axis direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to the optical axis direction and the first axis direction. The second axis (y-axis) is perpendicular to the optical axis (z-axis) and the first axis (x-axis). The first image stabilization driver 244 and the second image stabilization driver 245 may be orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

The image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a of the first and second image stabilizing drivers 244 and 245 are mounted on the lens holder 242, and the image stabilizing coils 244b and 245b facing the image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a, respectively, are mounted on the housing 210 through the substrate 214. In another example, the image stabilizing coils 244b and 245b may be mounted to face the image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a, respectively, by using another structure that is not the substrate 214 and the housing 210.

The image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a are moving members that move together with the lens holder 242 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and the image stabilizing coils 244b and 245b are fixed members that are fixed to the housing 210. However, this is only one example, and the positions of the image stabilizing magnets 244a and 245a and the image stabilizing coils 244b and 245b may be interchanged.

The present embodiment provides a plurality of ball members for supporting the image stabilizing unit 240. During image stabilization, the ball members facilitate movement of the support frame 241 and the lens holder 242. The ball member maintains a gap between the carrier 231, the support frame 241, and the lens holder 242.

The ball members include a first ball member 272 and a second ball member 274. The first ball member 272 facilitates movement of the image stabilization unit 240 in the second axis direction (y-axis direction), and the second ball member 274 facilitates movement of the image stabilization unit 240 in the first axis direction (x-axis direction). The first ball member 272 includes a plurality of ball members disposed between the carrier 231 and the support frame 241, and the second ball member 274 includes a plurality of ball members disposed between the support frame 241 and the lens holder 242.

A first guide groove portion 281 for accommodating the first ball member 272 is formed at a side of the carrier 231 facing the support frame 241 in the optical axis direction. The first guide groove portion 281 includes a plurality of guide grooves.

The first ball member 272 is disposed in the first guide groove portion 281 such that the first ball member 272 is disposed between the carrier 231 and the support frame 241. When they are disposed in the first guide groove portion 281, the first ball member 272 may not move in the optical axis direction and the first axis direction (x-axis direction), and may move only in the second axis direction (y-axis direction).

The second guide groove portions 282 and 283 for receiving the second ball member 274 are formed at a side of the support frame 241 facing the lens holder 242 in the optical axis direction. There are three second guide groove portions 282 and one second guide groove portion 283.

The second ball member 274 is disposed in the second guide groove portions 282 and 283 such that the second ball member 274 is disposed between the support frame 241 and the lens holder 242. When they are disposed in the second guide groove portions 282 and 283, the second ball member 274 may not move in the optical axis direction and the second axis direction (y-axis direction), and may move only in the first axis direction (x-axis direction). For this purpose, in a plane viewed in the optical axis direction, the guide grooves of the second guide groove portions 282 and 283 may have a rectangular shape in which the dimension in the first axis direction (x-axis direction) is larger than the dimension in the second axis direction (y-axis direction).

The image sensor unit 260 converts light input through the lens barrel 220 into an electrical signal. For example, the image sensor unit 260 may include an image sensor and a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) on which the image sensor is mounted, and may further include an infrared filter. The infrared filter blocks light in an infrared region among the light inputted through the lens barrel 220.

The lens barrel 220 and the lens driving apparatus 250 are disposed in the inner space of the housing 210. For example, the housing 210 may have a box shape with openings at the top and bottom. The image sensor unit 260 is mounted on the bottom of the housing 210. The housing 210 includes a damper 216 shown in fig. 2, which is described below in connection with fig. 7 and 8.

The stopper 222 is provided on the lens barrel 220 and fastened to the carrier 231 to hold the lens barrel 220, the lens holder 242, the first ball member 272, the support frame 241, and the second ball member 274 in place.

The cover 213 is fastened to the housing 210 to surround the housing 210 and protect the internal components of the camera module 200. The cover 213 may shield electromagnetic waves generated by the camera module 200. For example, the cover 213 may shield electromagnetic waves generated by the camera module 200 so that they do not affect other electronic components in the portable electronic device.

Fig. 3 and 4 illustrate perspective views of examples of the support frame of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1 and 2, and fig. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the support frame illustrated in fig. 4 taken along a line V-V' in fig. 4.

Referring to fig. 3 to 4, the support frame 241 according to the present embodiment has a quadrangular frame structure in which a circular hole is formed in the center of the quadrangular frame structure. The quadrilateral frame structure includes four corner regions. As described above in connection with fig. 2, the support frame 241 supports the lens holder 242 with the second ball member 274 disposed therebetween such that the lens holder 242 is guided in the first axis direction (x-axis direction) perpendicular to both the optical axis direction (i.e., the optical axis direction of the lens barrel 220) and the second axis direction (y-axis direction).

The support frame 241 includes a first subframe 2411 and a second subframe 2412, the first subframe 2411 includes three second guide groove portions 282 and one second guide groove portion 283, and the second subframe 2412 is made of a material having a higher strength than that of the first subframe 2411. For example, the first subframe 2411 may be made of a resin material, and the second subframe 2412 may be made of a metal material. Accordingly, the thickness of the second subframe 2412 in the optical axis direction may be smaller than the thickness of the first subframe 2411 in the optical axis direction. In one example, the thickness may be the minimum thickness of the thinnest portion of each component; and in another example, the thickness may be an average thickness of the individual components.

The first subframe 2411 may include a connection mold portion 2411a connecting three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and an island mold portion 2411b separated from the connection mold portion 2411a and disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure. That is, the connection mold portion 2411a may have substantially an L shape including three of four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure, and the island mold portion 2411b may be disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure which is not connected by the connection mold portion 2411 a.

Although fig. 3 shows that the second subframe 2412 connects only three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure, this is because a portion of the second subframe 2412 in fig. 3 is hidden by the connection type mold portion 2411a, and the second subframe 2412 in fig. 3 actually connects all four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure as shown in fig. 4.

Three second guide groove portions 282 may be formed on the connection mold portion 2411a in three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure connected by the connection mold portion 2411a, and one second guide groove portion 283 may be formed on the island mold portion 2411b in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure. As described above, the second guide groove portions 282 and 283 may accommodate the second ball member 274, and may guide the lens holder 242 to move in the first axial direction (x-axis direction) with respect to the support frame 241. Accordingly, the three second guide groove portions 282 of the connection mold portion 2411a and one second guide groove portion 283 of the island mold portion 2411b may extend in the same direction (i.e., in the first axial direction).

The second subframe 2412 may connect four regions of the quadrangular frame structure, and may be combined with the connection mold portion 2411a and the island mold portion 2411b. The second subframe 2412 may have a rounded inner edge, and the connection mold portion 2411a may have a rounded inner side along the inner edge of the second subframe 2412.

The first subframe 2411 made of a resin material may be formed on the second subframe 2412 made of a metal material by an insert molding process. Accordingly, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, a portion of the second subframe 2412 may be embedded in the first subframe 2411, and a portion of the second subframe 2412 may be exposed outside the first subframe 2411.

The second subframe 2412 includes bending columns 2412a and 2412b, which are bent from the second subframe 2412 in the optical axis direction in corner regions bonded to the island-type mold portion 2411b. The bent posts 2412a and 2412b may be embedded into the island type mold portion 2411b by an insert molding process and may face in directions orthogonal to each other. For example, the curved post 2412a may face a first axis direction (x-axis direction), and the curved post 2412b may face a second axis direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to the first axis direction (x-axis direction) (i.e., orthogonal to the first axis direction (x-axis direction). The bending posts 2412a and 2412b may be bent upward from the second subframe 2412 in the optical axis direction, and may be completely embedded in the island-type mold portion 2411b.

The second subframe 2412 may include a coupling hole 2412c extending in the optical axis direction in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and filled with a resin material of the island type mold portion 2411b. When the second subframe 2412 and the island type mold portion 2411b are manufactured through the insert molding process, the resin material flows into and fills the bonding hole 2412c, which may increase the bonding strength between the island type mold portion 2411b and the second subframe 2412.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the second subframe 2412 may include stepped portions 2412e and 2412f, the stepped portions 2412e and 2412f are formed by: the second subframe 2412 is bent to form two steps in the second subframe 2412 to lower a portion of the second subframe 2412 in the optical axis direction in a region of the quadrangular frame structure in which the second subframe 2412 is combined with the connection mold portion 2411 a. The step portions 2412e and 2412f may be configured such that the two steps may be parallel to each other in the diagonal direction of the second subframe 2412, as shown by the dotted line in fig. 4.

That is, when the step portions 2412e and 2412f are provided in the area of the quadrangular frame structure in which the second subframe 2412 is combined with the connection type mold portion 2411a, the step portions 2412e and 2412f may be provided at opposite sides of the second subframe 2412. The two steps of the step portions 2412e and 2412f may be parallel to each other in the diagonal direction of the second subframe 2412, as shown by the dotted line in fig. 4.

When the support frame 241 is manufactured through the insert molding process, the step portions 2412e and 2412f formed in the second subframe 2412 may increase the bonding strength between the connection type mold portion 2411a and the second subframe 2412 by fully embedding a portion of the second subframe 2412 made of a metal material into the connection type mold portion 2411a made of a resin material.

Referring to fig. 6, an image stabilizing magnet 245a shown in fig. 2 is provided on a lens holder 242 of the camera module 200 according to the present embodiment, and the lens holder 242 may be mounted on an upper surface of the support frame 241 in the optical axis direction. The image stabilizing magnet 245a may be disposed on the lens holder 242 between an end of the connection type molding portion 2411a of the support frame 241 and the island type molding portion 2411b. That is, the image stabilizing magnet 245a may be disposed on a portion of the outer side of the lens holder 242 corresponding to a space between the end of the connection mold portion 2411a and the island mold portion 2411b. Accordingly, a portion of the outer side of the lens holder 242 corresponding to the space may be referred to as an image stabilizing magnet mounting surface. Further, in connection with fig. 2, the lens holder 242 may further include another image stabilizing magnet mounting surface corresponding to another space between the end of the connection mold portion 2411a and the island mold portion 2411b. The image stabilizing magnet mounting surface and the other image stabilizing magnet mounting surface are perpendicular to each other and to the optical axis direction (z-axis direction).

The bright portion of the image stabilizing magnet 245a in fig. 6 may be the north pole of the image stabilizing magnet 245a, and the dark portion of the image stabilizing magnet 245a in fig. 6 may be the south pole of the image stabilizing magnet 245a. Alternatively, the light portion may be a south pole and the dark portion may be a north pole.

When the image stabilizing magnet 245a is mounted on the support frame 241, the lower end of the image stabilizing magnet 245a may be disposed lower than the bottom (i.e., lower end) of the connection type mold portion 2411 a. As shown in fig. 6, regarding the depth measured downward from the top end (i.e., upper end) of the image stabilizing magnet 245a, the depth d2 to the lower end of the image stabilizing magnet 245a may be greater than the depth d1 to the bottom of the connection type mold portion 2411 a.

That is, the first subframe 2411 of the support frame 241 does not include a molding portion formed in a portion of the quadrangular frame structure in which the image stabilizing magnet 245a is disposed, so that the image stabilizing magnet 245a may be disposed at a position lower than the bottom of the connection molding portion 2411a or the bottom of the island molding portion 2411b disposed at the opposite side of the image stabilizing magnet 245a. Therefore, even when the height of the lens driving apparatus 250 is reduced, the height of the image stabilizing magnet 245a in the optical axis direction may not be reduced or may not be increased, so that the image stabilizing driving force may not be reduced or may not be increased.

Fig. 6 does not show the positional relationship among the image stabilizing magnet 244a, the end of the connection type mold portion 2411a, and the island type mold portion 2411b shown in fig. 2. However, the image stabilizing magnet 244a may be provided in the same manner as the image stabilizing magnet 245a is provided as shown in fig. 6.

Fig. 7 illustrates a top view of a housing of the camera module illustrated in fig. 1 and 2, and fig. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the housing illustrated in fig. 7 taken along line VIII-VIII' in fig. 7.

Referring to fig. 7, the housing 210 of the camera module 200 according to the present embodiment may have a quadrangular shape having four corner regions when viewed from the optical axis direction (z-axis direction). The housing 210 may include two dampers 215 and two dampers 216 protruding upward from an inner bottom surface of the housing 210. Two dampers 216 may be provided in two corner regions of the housing 210 in which the guide grooves 231a are not formed. Guide grooves 231a in which the rolling members 270 are provided are formed in the other two corner regions of the housing 210. Therefore, in order to avoid interference with the guide groove 231a, two dampers 215 may be provided at positions offset from other two corner regions of the housing 210 toward the center of the housing 210 in the second axis direction (y axis direction).

Referring to fig. 8, damper 215 includes a rounded head 2151, a neck 2152 having a diameter less than the diameter of rounded head 2151, and a leg 2153 having a diameter greater than the diameter of neck 2152. The rounded head 2151 may protrude from the inner bottom surface of the housing 210, the neck 2152 may be inserted into the through-hole 210a of the housing 210, and the legs 2153 may be disposed on the outer bottom surface of the housing 210. The structure of the damper 216 is the same as that of the damper 215. The dampers 215 and 216 may be made of an elastic resin material, and may be integrally combined with the housing 210 during the insert molding process.

As described above with reference to fig. 2, the carrier 231 in which the support frame 241, the lens holder 242, and the lens barrel 220 are disposed is driven in the optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing 210 by the focusing unit 230, and the outer bottom surface of the carrier 231 may face the inner bottom surface of the housing 210. Therefore, when the outer bottom surface of the carrier 231 collides with the dampers 215 and 216, the dampers 215 and 216 may function as a buffer to absorb an impact.

While this disclosure includes particular examples, it will be apparent, after an understanding of the disclosure of the present application, that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples described herein are to be considered as illustrative only and not for the purpose of limitation. The descriptions of features or aspects in each example are considered to be applicable to similar features or aspects in other examples. The described techniques may be performed in a different order and/or components of the described systems, architectures, devices or circuits may be combined in different ways and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents as long as appropriate results are obtained. The scope of the disclosure is, therefore, not to be limited by the detailed description, but by the claims and their equivalents, and all changes that come within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be interpreted as being included in the disclosure.

Claims

1. A lens driving apparatus comprising:

a carrier for accommodating the lens barrel; and

an image stabilization unit including a lens holder configured to hold the lens barrel, and a support frame having a quadrangular frame structure including four corner areas and supporting the lens holder, the support frame and the lens holder being provided in the carrier, the image stabilization unit being configured to move the lens holder relative to the carrier in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the lens holder,

wherein, the braced frame includes:

a first sub-frame including a connection type molding portion connecting three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and an island type molding portion separated from the connection type molding portion and disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure; and

and a second sub-frame made of a material having a higher strength than that of the material of which the first sub-frame is made, the second sub-frame connecting the four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and being combined with the connection type molding portion and the island type molding portion.

2. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sub-frame is made of a resin material, and the second sub-frame is made of a metal material.

3. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a minimum thickness of the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction is smaller than a minimum thickness of the first sub-frame in the optical axis direction.

4. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection-type molding portion includes guide grooves in the three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure, and

the island type molding portion includes a guide groove in the fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure.

5. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the guide groove of the connection type mold portion and the guide groove of the island type mold portion extend in the same direction.

6. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second sub-frame further includes a curved column that is curved from the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction in the fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and is embedded in the island-type mold portion.

7. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the curved column includes two curved columns facing in two directions orthogonal to each other.

8. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second sub-frame includes a coupling hole that extends in the optical axis direction in the fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and is filled with the material of the island-type mold portion.

9. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second sub-frame includes a stepped portion formed by: the second sub-frame is bent to lower a portion of the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction in a region of the quadrangular frame structure where the second sub-frame is combined with the connection-type molded portion.

10. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the step portion includes two steps in the second sub-frame, the two steps being disposed parallel to each other in a diagonal direction of the second sub-frame.

11. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens holder is provided on the support frame, and

an image stabilizing magnet is provided on a portion of the outer side of the lens holder corresponding to a space between an end of the connection mold portion and the island mold portion.

12. The lens driving apparatus of claim 11, wherein a lower end of the image stabilizing magnet is disposed lower than a bottom of the connection mold portion or a bottom of the island mold portion.

13. A camera module, comprising:

a housing;

a lens barrel in which at least one lens is provided;

a carrier provided in the housing and accommodating the lens barrel;

a focusing unit configured to move the carrier with respect to the housing in an optical axis direction of the at least one lens; and

an image stabilization unit including a lens holder in which the lens barrel is disposed, and a support frame having a quadrangular frame structure including four corner areas and supporting the lens holder, the support frame, the lens holder, and the lens barrel being disposed in the carrier, the image stabilization unit being configured to move the lens holder and the lens barrel relative to the carrier in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction,

wherein, the braced frame includes:

14. The camera module of claim 13, wherein the first subframe is made of a resin material and the second subframe is made of a metal material.

15. The camera module of claim 13, wherein the second subframe includes a curved post that is curved from the second subframe in the optical axis direction in the fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and is embedded in the island-type mold portion.

16. The camera module of claim 13, wherein the second subframe includes a stepped portion formed by: the second sub-frame is bent to lower a portion of the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction in a region of the quadrangular frame structure where the second sub-frame is combined with the connection-type molded portion.

17. The camera module of claim 13, wherein the lens holder is disposed on the support frame, and

18. The camera module according to claim 17, wherein a lower end of the image stabilizing magnet is disposed lower than a bottom of the connection mold portion or a bottom of the island mold portion.

19. The camera module according to claim 13, wherein the housing includes a damper provided on an inner bottom surface of the housing and protruding upward toward an outer bottom surface of the carrier in the optical axis direction.

20. The camera module of claim 19, wherein the damper comprises an elastic member.

21. A lens driving apparatus comprising:

a carrier for accommodating the lens barrel; and

wherein, the braced frame includes:

a first subframe including two molding portions separated from each other; and

a second subframe made of a material having a strength higher than that of the material from which the first subframe is made, the second subframe connecting the four corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure and being bonded with the two molded portions of the first subframe, and

the lens holder includes an image stabilizing magnet mounting surface corresponding to a space between the two molded portions of the first subframe.

22. The lens driving apparatus of claim 21, wherein the lens holder further comprises another image stabilizing magnet mounting surface corresponding to another space between the two molded portions of the first subframe.

23. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the image stabilizing magnet mounting surface and the other image stabilizing magnet mounting surface are perpendicular to each other and to the optical axis direction.

24. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 21, wherein one of the two molded portions of the first sub-frame is a connection type molded portion connecting three corner regions of the quadrangular frame structure, and

the other of the two molding portions of the first subframe is an island-type molding portion that is separated from the connection-type molding portion and is disposed in a fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure.

25. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the second sub-frame further includes a curved column that is curved from the second sub-frame in the optical axis direction in the fourth corner region of the quadrangular frame structure and is embedded in the island-type mold portion.