JP2007174545A - Camera module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera module which is cheap and flexible to use. <P>SOLUTION: The camera module includes a plurality of recessed portions 8, which are protruded outside a case 1 and in each of which a side electrode 9a is formed. Therefore, a contact segment 15 of a socket 13 can contact the side electrode 9a without being disturbed by the case 1. Moreover, an engaging portion 4 can engage latch arms 16b of the socket 13, the module can also be used in response to a socket, thereby yielding a cheap and flexible camera module. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera module suitable for use in a mobile phone or the like.

  Drawings related to a conventional camera module will be described. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of main parts of a conventional camera module, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of main parts of a conventional camera module.

  Next, the configuration of the conventional camera module will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. The case 51, which has a cylindrical shape as a whole, has a rectangular box-shaped portion 52 and a central portion of the box-shaped portion 52. It has a cylindrical portion 53 extending upward.

  An internal lens 54 is attached to the cylindrical portion 53 by a diaphragm portion 55, and an infrared filter 56 is attached to the box-like portion 52.

  The rectangular insulating substrate 57 has a plurality of recesses 58 formed on the side surface. The insulating substrate 57 is provided with a conductive pattern 59, and the conductive pattern 59 is provided on the side provided in the recess 58. It has an electrode 59a.

  The image sensor 60 is mounted on an insulating substrate 57, the image sensor 60 is connected to the conductive pattern 59 by a wire 61, and the insulating substrate 57 places the image sensor 60 in the box-shaped portion 52. In a positioned state, the conventional camera module is formed by being attached to the lower part of the box-shaped part 52 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the conventional camera module having such a configuration, an insulating substrate 57 is placed on a circuit board 62 on which a desired electric circuit is formed, and a conductive pattern 59 is arranged at the position of the side electrode 59a. A solder 63 is attached to the substrate 62 so as to be connected.

That is, in the conventional camera module, the conductive pattern 59 of the insulating substrate 57 is directly connected to the circuit board 62, and the conductive pattern 59 of the insulating substrate 57 is connected to the circuit board 62 through the socket. However, it is necessary to manufacture a camera module for sockets separately.
JP 2004-88181 A

  Since the conventional camera module is exclusively for the socketless type, it is necessary to prepare a socket-compatible one separately, which causes a problem of high cost and inflexibility.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a state of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide an inexpensive and flexible camera module.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cylindrical case holding a lens, an insulating substrate attached to a lower portion of the case and having a plurality of concave portions on a side surface, and provided in the concave portion. A conductive pattern formed on the insulating substrate with the side electrodes provided, and an image sensor attached to the insulating substrate in a state positioned in the case and connected to the conductive pattern. In addition to being arranged in a protruding state, a locking portion capable of hooking the socket is provided at a lower portion of the case at a position where the recess is not blocked.

  In the present invention configured as described above, since the concave portion provided with the side electrode protrudes outside the case, the contact piece of the socket can contact the side electrode without being obstructed by the case. Since the latching arm portion of the socket can be locked, it can also be used for sockets, and an inexpensive and flexible product can be obtained.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the above invention, the case includes a cylindrical portion and a convex portion that extends from a lower portion of the cylindrical portion and is placed on the insulating substrate. The convex portion forms a locking portion. It is characterized by that. According to the present invention configured as described above, the convex portion, which is the locking portion, is small and can be easily formed, the case can be reduced in size, and an inexpensive one can be obtained.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the convex portions are arranged at the corners of the insulating substrate. According to the present invention configured as described above, the convex portion can be easily disposed in a gap where there is no concave portion, and the latching arm portion of the socket can be easily disposed at a position where it is retracted from the contact piece. Is obtained.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the outer shape of the lower portion of the case is formed smaller than the outer shape of the insulating substrate, and the lower portion of the case is disposed within the outer shape of the insulating substrate. According to the present invention configured as described above, even when the position of the case with respect to the insulating substrate is slightly shifted, it is possible to prevent the recess from being blocked by the case, and it is suitable for sockets and has good productivity.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the above invention, a socket having an annular frame made of an insulating material, a plurality of contact pieces attached to the frame and positioned in the frame, and a latching arm portion extending into the frame. When the insulating substrate disposed in the frame is provided, the side electrode in the recess comes into contact with the contact piece, and the latching arm portion latches the latching portion.

  The present invention configured as described above is configured so that the contact piece can reliably contact the side electrode without being obstructed by the case, and the latching arm portion latches the latching portion, so that the socket correspondence is simple. You can.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the latching arm portion is formed of a metal plate having a spring property. According to the present invention configured as described above, the latching arm portion can withstand repeated deformation and can have a long life.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the latching arm portion is disposed in the vicinity of a corner portion of the frame body. According to the present invention configured as described above, the latch arm portion can be easily disposed at a position where it is retracted from the contact piece, and a small product with good productivity can be obtained.

  The present invention can cope with both without a socket and with a socket, and is inexpensive and flexible.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 1 relates to a camera module of the present invention and is a plan view with a socket. FIG. FIG. 3 relates to the camera module of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing the state of attachment to the socket.

  4 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the case and the insulating substrate according to the camera module of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the relationship between the case and the insulating substrate according to the camera module of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a socket according to the camera module of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the main part without the socket according to the camera module of the present invention.

  Next, the configuration of the camera module of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. The camera module of the present invention includes a cylindrical case 1 and a lens held in the case 1 via a support member 5. 6, the insulating substrate 7 to which the image sensor 10 is attached, and the socket 13 form a main member.

  The case 1, which has a tubular shape as a whole, includes a rectangular box-shaped portion (cylindrical portion) 2, a cylindrical portion 3 that extends upward from the central portion of the box-shaped portion 2, and a lower portion of the box-shaped portion 2. The locking portion 4 is formed of a hook-like convex portion protruding in the direction. The locking portion 4 includes a plate-like portion 4 a extending along the side surface of the box-like portion 2 and a corner portion of the box-like portion 2. It has the latching piece 4b which protrudes.

  The support member 5 is provided with a hole 5 a in the center portion, and a lens 6 is attached to the support member 5 and the support member 5 is attached to the cylindrical portion 3. The lens 6 is attached to the case via the support member 5. 1 is attached.

  The rectangular insulating substrate 7 has a plurality of recesses 8 formed on the side surfaces. The insulating substrate 7 is provided with a conductive pattern 9, and the conductive pattern 9 is provided on the side provided in the recess 8. It has an electrode 9a.

  The image pickup device 10 is mounted on the central portion of the insulating substrate 7, the image pickup device 10 is connected to the conductive pattern 9 by a wire 11, and the insulating substrate 7 connects the image pickup device 10 inside the box-shaped portion 2. It is attached to the lower part of the box-shaped part 2 in the state located in. The conductive pattern 9 may be in the inner layer of the insulating substrate 7.

  Further, the outer shape of the lower portion of the case 1 (the lower portion of the box-shaped portion 2 including the locking portion 4) is formed smaller than the outer shape of the insulating substrate 7, and when the insulating substrate 7 is attached to the case 1. The lower portion (locking portion 4) of the case 1 is disposed within the outer shape of the insulating substrate 7 at a position where the concave portion 8 of the insulating substrate 7 is not blocked, and the locking piece 4b of the locking portion 4 is the insulating substrate 7. It is in the state where it is arranged at the corner.

  An infrared removing filter 12 is attached in the box-shaped portion 2, and the infrared removing filter 12 is disposed between the lens 6 and the image sensor 10.

  The socket 13 is formed by a frame body 14 formed of an annular quadrangle, a plurality of contact pieces 15 to which the frame body 14 is attached, and an attachment member 16 to which the frame body 14 is attached and having a latching arm portion 16b. ing.

  The frame body 14 is formed of a resin (insulating material) molded product, and includes an annular base portion 14a, a rectangular bottom plate 14b provided at the bottom portion of the base portion 14a, a corner portion of the bottom portion 14b, and a corner portion of the base portion 14a. The bottom plate 14b is lifted upward by the connecting portion 14c.

  The contact piece 15 is made of a metal plate having a spring property, and has a contact portion 15a and a terminal portion 15b. The contact piece 15 is attached with the space between the contact portion 15a and the terminal portion 15 embedded in the base portion 14a. The contact portion 15a protrudes into the base portion 14a, and the terminal portion 15b is disposed below the base portion 14a.

  The mounting member 16 is made of a metal plate having a spring property, and has an annular mounting portion 16a and a plurality of latching arm portions 16b bent from the upper end portion of the mounting portion 16a. The part 16a is wound around and attached to the outer periphery of the base part 14a, and the latching arm part 16b is located in the vicinity of the corner of the frame body 14 and protrudes into the base part 14a.

  When the insulating substrate 7 is inserted into the frame 14 of the socket 13 configured in this manner, the latching arm portion 16b is pressed toward the base portion 14a by the insulating substrate 7 and the contact portion 14 contact portion. 14a contacts the side electrode 9a in the recess 8 with elasticity.

  Further, when the insertion of the insulating substrate 7 is continued, the lower surface of the insulating substrate 7 presses the bottom plate 14b against the spring property of the connecting portion 14, and in the course of the pressing, the latching arm portion 16b 3 and is locked to the locking piece 4b as shown in FIG.

  Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3, the case 1 and the insulating substrate 7 are held in a state of being sandwiched between the latching arm portion 16b and the bottom plate 14b, and as shown in FIG. The side electrode 9a is in a state of being positioned by the recess 8.

  In the above embodiment, the latching arm portion 16b has been described as being latched to the latching piece 4b of the latching portion 4. However, the latching arm portion 16b may be latched to the plate-like portion 4a. good.

  In the camera module of the present invention having such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, the socket 13 is placed on a circuit board 17 on which a desired electric circuit is formed, and the terminal portion 15 b of the contact piece 15 is placed on the circuit board 17. Solder 18 is attached to and connected.

  FIG. 7 shows a camera module without the socket 13, and the camera module without the socket 13 has the insulating substrate 7 mounted on the circuit board 17 and the conductive pattern 9 as the side electrode, as shown in FIG. Solder 18 is attached to the circuit board 17 at a position 9a so as to be connected.

  Other configurations have the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted here.

It is a top view with a socket concerning the camera module of this invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part with a socket according to the camera module of the present invention. It is a principal part sectional view which shows the attachment state to the socket concerning the camera module of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between a case and an insulated substrate concerning the camera module of this invention. It is a top view which shows the relationship between a case and an insulated substrate concerning the camera module of this invention. It is a top view of the socket which concerns on the camera module of this invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part without a socket according to the camera module of the present invention. It is a principal part disassembled perspective view which concerns on the conventional camera module. It is principal part sectional drawing concerning the conventional camera module.

Explanation of symbols

1 Case 2 Box-shaped part (tubular part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Cylindrical part 4 Locking part 4a Plate-shaped part 4b Locking piece 5 Support member 5a Hole 6 Lens 7 Insulating substrate 8 Recessed part 9 Conductive pattern 9a Side electrode 10 Imaging element 11 Wire 12 Infrared removal filter 13 Socket 14 Frame 14a Base 14b Bottom plate 14c Connecting portion 15 Contact piece 15a Contact portion 15b Terminal portion 16 Mounting member 16a Mounting portion 16b Latching arm portion 17 Circuit board 18 Solder

Claims (7)

A cylindrical case that holds a lens; an insulating substrate that is attached to a lower portion of the case and has a plurality of recesses on a side surface; and a side electrode that is provided in the recess. And an imaging element attached to the insulating substrate and connected to the conductive pattern in a state of being located in the case, and the recess is disposed in a state of protruding out of the case. The camera module is characterized in that a locking portion capable of hooking a socket is provided in a lower portion of the case at a position where the concave portion is not blocked. The case includes a cylindrical portion and a convex portion that extends from a lower portion of the cylindrical portion and is placed on the insulating substrate, and the locking portion is formed by the convex portion. The camera module according to claim 1. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein the convex portion is disposed at a corner of the insulating substrate. The outer shape of the lower portion of the case is formed smaller than the outer shape of the insulating substrate, and the lower portion of the case is disposed within the outer shape of the insulating substrate. The camera module described. An annular frame made of an insulating material, a socket having a plurality of contact pieces attached to the frame and positioned in the frame, and a latching arm portion extending into the frame, and disposed in the frame 2. When the insulating substrate is formed, the side electrode in the concave portion comes into contact with the contact piece, and the latching arm portion latches the locking portion. 5. The camera module according to any one of items 1 to 4. 6. The camera module according to claim 5, wherein the latch arm is formed of a metal plate having a spring property. The camera module according to claim 5, wherein the latch arm is disposed in the vicinity of a corner of the frame.

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