JP2009042626A - Imaging unit, method for manufacturing imaging unit and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve: an imaging unit having sufficient strength and achieving facilitation of attachment/detachment of members; a method for manufacturing an imaging unit; and electronic equipment. <P>SOLUTION: A camera unit 200 is assembled by assembling a nearly plate-like cover 2 and a nearly box-like frame 1 so that a moving mechanism 250 provided in shaft holding parts 2a and 2b formed on the lower surface of the cover 2 may be housed inside the frame 1. Particularly, only the shaft holding parts 2a and 2b for disposing the moving mechanism 250 are formed on the lower surface side of the cover 2, thereby eliminating an obstacle to the assembly when respective members constituting the moving mechanism 250 are assembled on the cover 2. Moreover, various members are easily attached to the cover 2. Similarly, the members assembled on the cover 2 are easily detached, thereby easily exchanging parts. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging unit, an imaging unit manufacturing method, and an electronic apparatus including the imaging unit.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an imaging unit (camera unit) in which a member such as a lens, a lens driving device, and an image sensor is incorporated in a housing frame and is assembled by closing an opening of the housing frame (for example, see Patent Document 1) .).

For example, in the case of the camera unit 300 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, an SIDM (Smooth Impact Drive Mechanism) 15 is fixed to a substantially box-shaped frame 7, and the moving frame 3, the ball frame 4, The camera unit 300 is assembled by assembling the lens 5 and the like to the frame 7 and attaching the front cover 8 to the upper opening of the frame 7, and almost all the components are arranged on the frame 7 side. Yes.
JP 2006-279368 A

However, in the case of the above prior art, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, through holes through which the drive shaft 13 of the SIDM 15 is inserted into the pair of shaft holding portions 7a and 7a protruding inwardly from the inner wall of the side surface of the frame 7. In order to form 7b, a cutout portion 7c must be provided on the side surface of the frame 7 to be molded with resin, and the cutout portion 7c in the frame 7 after molding must be closed with a sealing material 9. It was. For this reason, there is a problem that the strength and rigidity of the frame 7 are lowered. Furthermore, in order to install the SIDM 15 on the frame 7, the weight 11 of the SIDM 15 has to be fixed to the sealing material 9 portion closing the notch 7c, so that the strength of the frame 7 may be lowered. It was.
Further, since various members must be assembled inside the small box-like frame 7, there are many restrictions for attaching the members in the narrow frame 7, and it is not easy to replace the attached members. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging unit, a manufacturing method of the imaging unit, and an electronic apparatus that have sufficient strength and can easily attach and detach members.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1
A substantially box-shaped case body having an upper opening;
A substantially flat lid that closes the upper opening of the case body, and an imaging unit comprising:
An image pickup element on which a subject image is formed is provided on the inner bottom surface of the case body,
A support portion that extends toward the bottom surface of the case body is formed on the lower surface of the lid body, and an optical member that guides a subject image to the image sensor is formed on the lower surface of the lid body. A moving mechanism for moving along the line is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the imaging unit according to the first aspect,
The moving mechanism includes a first drive unit that moves the optical member in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction in which the support unit extends;
A second drive unit that moves the optical member in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the support unit extends and the one direction;
It is characterized by providing.

The invention according to claim 3
A manufacturing method of an imaging unit, comprising: a substantially box-shaped case body having an imaging element on a bottom surface and having an upper opening above the upper body; and a substantially flat lid body closing the upper opening of the case body,
A first step of forming a support portion standing from the lower surface of the lid,
A second step of disposing a moving mechanism for moving an optical member that guides a subject image to the image sensor along the lower surface of the lid, on the support portion formed in the first step;
A third step of attaching the lid to the case body so as to accommodate the moving mechanism disposed in the second step inside the case body;
It is characterized by providing.

Invention of Claim 4 is an electronic device, Comprising:
The imaging unit according to claim 1 or 2 is provided in a device main body.

According to the present invention, the lid and the case body are assembled so that the moving mechanism provided in the support portion formed on the lower surface of the substantially flat lid body is accommodated in the substantially box-shaped case body. Therefore, the imaging unit can be easily manufactured.
In particular, since only the support portion for disposing the moving mechanism is formed on the lower surface side of the substantially flat lid body, it becomes an obstacle when assembling each member constituting the moving mechanism to the lid body. There is nothing, and various members can be easily attached to the lid. Similarly, since the member assembled to the lid can be easily removed, the parts can be easily replaced.
In other words, compared to the case where various members are attached to or removed from the inside of a substantially box-shaped frame (case body) surrounded by side walls on all sides as in the prior art, the members are moved to the substantially flat lid side. It can be said that it is easy to attach and remove.
Further, in this imaging unit, since the support portion is formed on the substantially flat lid body, the notch portion is not formed on the side wall of the substantially box-shaped frame (case body) as in the prior art. Therefore, the strength and rigidity of the case body do not decrease.
That is, it can be said that an imaging unit including a case body having no weakness compared to the surroundings or a portion that is easily deformed has sufficient strength to protect the internal configuration.

  Accordingly, the imaging unit manufactured by assembling the moving mechanism disposed in the support portion formed on the substantially flat lid body in the substantially box-shaped case body has sufficient strength. It is an imaging unit that can be easily attached and detached, and an electronic device equipped with this imaging unit in the equipment body has sufficient strength and can be easily attached and detached. It can be said that it is an electronic device that can be performed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an imaging unit, an imaging unit manufacturing method, and an electronic apparatus including the imaging unit according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a mobile phone will be described as an example of an electronic device. The scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated example.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the mobile phone 100 is a phone that includes a camera unit 200 that is an imaging unit in the apparatus body and has a function of imaging a subject.
In this mobile phone 100, a camera unit 200 is arranged on the back side of the phone, and a subject image captured by the camera unit 200 is arranged on the front side of the phone so that the back side faces the subject. It can be displayed on the liquid crystal screen 101, and a subject image displayed on the liquid crystal screen 101 is confirmed, and a desired subject is imaged.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 (a) and 3 (b), the camera unit 200 includes a substantially box-shaped frame 1 and a substantially flat cover 2 that closes the upper opening 1 a of the frame 1. It has a shape. And the inside of this housing | casing is hollow, The lens 5 which is an optical member and the moving mechanism 250 which moves the lens 5 are accommodated in this hollow part.
Note that an image sensor 6 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) on which a subject image is formed by the lens 5 is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the frame 1. An opening 2h corresponding to the position of the lens 5 and the image pickup device 6 is formed on the approximate center side of the.

  The camera unit 200 is connected via the frame 1, the cover 2 attached to the frame 1, and the cover 2 and the first driving device 10 as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). The moving frame 3, a ball frame 4 connected to the moving frame 3 via the second driving device 20, and a lens 5 attached to the ball frame 4 are provided.

The frame 1 is a resin-molded case body. The image sensor 6 is provided on the bottom surface of the frame 1, and an upper opening 1 a to which the cover 2 is attached is above the image sensor 6.
The cover 2 is a lid formed by resin molding, and includes a pair of shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b that are support portions extending from the lower surface of the cover 2 toward the bottom surface of the frame 1.
The pair of shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b are provided integrally with the cover 2 so as to stand substantially vertically from the lower surface of the cover 2. The pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b are formed with through holes into which a drive shaft 13 described later is inserted.

  The first drive device 10 includes a smooth impact drive mechanism (SIDM) that is an actuator composed of a weight 11, a piezoelectric element 12, and a drive shaft 13, an actuator press 14 that covers the weight 11 and the piezoelectric element 12, and a drive shaft. 13 is configured as a first drive unit of the moving mechanism 250.

The weight 11 is a fixing member for attaching the piezoelectric element 12 to a predetermined position. The weight 11 is fixed to the actuator holder 14 by bonding or the like, and the actuator holder 14 is fixed to the shaft holding portion 2 b of the cover 2.
The first drive device 10 is attached to the cover 2 via the weight 11 and the actuator presser 14.

  The piezoelectric element 12 is an element that expands and contracts in response to application of a voltage. One end surface in the expansion / contraction direction is fixed to the weight 11 by adhesion or the like, and the drive shaft 13 is fixed to the other end surface.

  The drive shaft 13 is made of, for example, a carbon resin or an epoxy resin, and is a shaft portion as a drive member that reciprocates in the axial direction in conjunction with the expansion / contraction operation of the piezoelectric element 12, and includes a pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b. It is inserted and passed through the through hole.

The first slider portion 3 a is formed integrally with the moving frame 3 and is provided so as to protrude outside the moving frame 3.
The first slider portion 3 a is engaged with the drive shaft 13 by a frictional force, and can move relative to the drive shaft 13 in the axial direction by the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 12.

In the first drive device 10, when the SIDM piezoelectric element 12 is slowly extended or contracted, the drive shaft 13 moves slowly (reciprocating), so that the drive shaft 13 is engaged with a suitable frictional force. The first slider portion 3a is moved in the axial direction together with the drive shaft 13 by the friction.
On the other hand, when the piezoelectric element 12 of SIDM is rapidly extended or contracted, the drive shaft 13 moves quickly (reciprocating), so the first slider portion 3a engaged with the drive shaft 13 with a suitable frictional force is It slips due to inertia and stays in that position.

  The moving frame 3 is a frame that has four surface portions and has a substantially square shape, and includes a first slider portion 3a formed so as to protrude outward from one surface portion of the moving frame 3, and a first slider portion 3a. And a second slider portion 3b formed so as to protrude inward from an adjacent surface portion on which one slider portion 3a is provided.

The ball frame 4 is a frame body in which a central hole 4h is formed inside, and a lens 5 is fitted into the central hole 4h.
The ball frame 4 includes a pair of shaft holding portions 4 a and 4 b extending from the outer surface of the ball frame 4 toward the second slider portion 3 b side of the moving frame 3. The pair of shaft holding portions 4a and 4b are formed with through holes into which a drive shaft 23 described later is inserted.

  The second drive device 20 includes a SIDM (Smooth Impact Drive Mechanism) that is an actuator composed of a weight 21, a piezoelectric element 22, and a drive shaft 23, an actuator press 24 that covers the weight 21 and the piezoelectric element 22, and a drive shaft. And a second slider portion 3 b that engages with the moving mechanism 250, and is configured as a second driving portion of the moving mechanism 250.

The weight 21 is a fixing member for attaching the piezoelectric element 22 to a predetermined position. The weight 21 is fixed to the actuator holder 24 by adhesion or the like, and the actuator holder 24 is fixed to the shaft holding portion 4 b of the ball frame 4.
The second driving device 20 is attached to the ball frame 4 via the weight 21 and the actuator presser 24.
The piezoelectric element 22 is an element that expands and contracts when a voltage is applied. One end surface in the expansion / contraction direction is fixed to the weight 21 by adhesion or the like, and the drive shaft 23 is fixed to the other end surface.
The drive shaft 23 is made of, for example, carbon resin or epoxy resin, and is a shaft portion as a drive member that reciprocates in the axial direction in conjunction with the expansion / contraction operation of the piezoelectric element 22, and includes a pair of shaft holding portions 4 a and 4 b. It is inserted and passed through the through hole.
The second slider portion 3 b is formed integrally with the moving frame 3 and is provided so as to protrude inside the moving frame 3. The second slider portion 3b is engaged with the drive shaft 23 by a frictional force and can be moved relative to the drive shaft 23 in the axial direction by the expansion / contraction operation of the piezoelectric element 22.

In the second driving device 20, when the SIDM piezoelectric element 22 is slowly extended or contracted, the driving shaft 23 moves slowly (reciprocating), so that it engages with the driving shaft 23 with a suitable frictional force. The second slider portion 3b is moved in the axial direction together with the drive shaft 23 by the friction.
On the other hand, when the piezoelectric element 22 of SIDM is rapidly extended or contracted, the drive shaft 23 moves quickly (reciprocating), so the second slider portion 3b engaged with the drive shaft 23 with a suitable frictional force is It slips due to inertia and stays in that position.

In the camera unit 200 having such a configuration, the first driving device 10 attached to the cover 2 is capable of slidingly moving the first slider portion 3a in the X-axis direction which is one direction. By moving the lens frame 4 in the X-axis direction via the moving frame 3 by sliding one slider portion 3a in the X-axis direction, the lens 5 is moved in the X-axis direction to adjust its position. Can do.
Further, the second drive device 20 attached to the ball frame 4 allows the second slider portion 3b to be slidably moved in the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction. By sliding the lens frame 4 in the Y-axis direction by sliding in the axial direction, the lens 5 can be moved in the Y-axis direction to adjust its position.
That is, the first driving device 10 in the moving mechanism 250 moves the lens 5 in the X-axis direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the pair of shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b extend, and the second driving device in the moving mechanism 250. 20, the lens 5 can be moved in the Y-axis direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b extend and the X-axis direction.
The moving mechanism 250 having the first driving device 10, the moving frame 3, the second driving device 20, and the ball frame 4 can move the lens 5 along the lower surface of the cover 2. Yes.

Thus, the lens 5 in the camera unit 200 can be moved in two orthogonal directions by the first drive device 10 and the second drive device 20 provided in the moving mechanism 250 provided in the camera unit 200. The camera unit 200 can guide the subject image to the image sensor 6 by moving the lens 5 in an arbitrary direction by the cooperation of the first driving device 10 and the second driving device 20. By moving the lens 5 so as to cancel the shift and shake of the mobile phone 100 (camera) to be held, it is possible to perform camera shake correction when the subject is imaged.
Note that operations and processes related to camera shake correction by the first drive device 10 and the second drive device 20 including SIDM are the same as those conventionally known, and thus will not be described in detail here.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the camera unit 200 according to the present invention will be described.

First, when the substantially flat cover 2 is resin-molded, a pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b standing upright from the lower surface of the cover 2 are formed integrally with the cover 2 (first step).
The pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b are formed with through holes through which the drive shaft 13 is inserted.

Next, the moving mechanism 250 is disposed on the pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b formed on the lower surface of the cover 2 (second step).
Specifically, for example, it is attached so that the drive shaft 13 of the first drive device 10 is inserted into the through holes of the pair of shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b formed in the cover 2, and the first of the moving frame 3. The slider portion 3 a is engaged with the drive shaft 13. In addition, it is attached so that the drive shaft 23 of the second drive device 20 is inserted into the through holes of the pair of shaft holding portions 4 a and 4 b in the ball frame 4 provided with the lens 5, and the second slider of the movable frame 3. The part 3 b is engaged with the drive shaft 23. Thus, the pair of shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b are provided with a moving mechanism 250 that moves the lens 5 that guides the subject image to the image sensor 6 along the lower surface of the cover 2. Each member constituting the moving mechanism 250 is made in a separate process.

Next, the cover 2 is arranged so that the moving mechanism 250 disposed in the pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b on the lower surface of the cover 2 is accommodated in the inside of the substantially box-shaped frame 1 provided with the image pickup device 6 on the bottom surface. Is attached to the frame 1, the upper opening 1a is closed with the cover 2, and the camera unit 200 is assembled (third process).
Note that the frame 1 and the image pickup device 6 are each formed in a separate process and further assembled in a separate process.

  As described above, the camera unit 200 according to the present invention includes the moving mechanism 250 disposed in the pair of shaft holding portions 2a and 2b formed on the substantially flat cover 2 in the substantially box-shaped frame 1. It is assembled and manufactured so as to be housed, and almost all components and members are arranged on the cover 2 side.

Since only the shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b for assembling the moving mechanism 250 are formed on the lower surface side of the substantially flat cover 2, the members constituting the moving mechanism 250 are obstructed when assembled. There is nothing, and various members and parts can be easily attached to the cover 2. Similarly, since the members and parts assembled to the cover 2 can be easily removed, the parts can be easily replaced.
In other words, compared to the case where various members and parts are attached to and removed from the inside of the substantially box-shaped frame surrounded on the four sides by the side walls as in the prior art, the members and parts are attached to the cover 2 side. It can be said that it is easy to remove.

Further, in this camera unit 200, since the shaft holding portions 2a and 2b are formed on the substantially flat cover 2, a notch portion is formed on the side wall of the substantially box-like frame 1 as in the prior art. Therefore, the strength and rigidity of the frame 1 are not reduced.
In other words, the camera unit 200 including the frame 1 having no weak part compared to the surroundings or easily deformable part has a sufficient strength to protect the internal configuration (for example, various members such as the lens 5). It can be said that it has.

  Therefore, the camera manufactured by assembling the moving mechanism 250 disposed in the pair of shaft holding portions 2 a and 2 b formed on the substantially flat cover 2 so as to be accommodated in the substantially box-shaped frame 1. The unit 200 is an imaging unit having sufficient strength and capable of easily attaching and detaching members. The mobile phone 100 including the camera unit 200 also has sufficient strength, It can be said that it is an electronic device that can be easily attached and detached.

  In the case of the camera unit 200 or the mobile phone 100 including the camera unit 200, camera shake correction that allows the lens 5 to be moved by the moving mechanism 250 so that a subject image is favorably formed on the image sensor 6 can be performed. Suitable imaging can be performed.

In the above embodiment, the drive unit (10, 20) includes the slider portions (3a, 3b) that are in sliding contact with the drive shafts (13, 23) moved by the piezoelectric elements (12, 22). The apparatus has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a metal as a drive member that is moved by a piezoelectric element instead of a drive shaft, and is magnetically attached to the magnet A drive device having a metal slider portion made of may be applied to the present invention.
Similarly to the drive device (10, 20) of this embodiment, the drive device including this magnet moves slowly (reciprocating) when the SIDM piezoelectric element is slowly extended or contracted. The metal slider part magnetically attached with a suitable magnetic force moves together with the magnet by the magnetic force. On the other hand, when the SIDM piezoelectric element is rapidly extended or contracted, the magnet moves quickly (reciprocating), so that the metal slider portion magnetically attached to the magnet slides due to inertia, and almost Will stay in position.

  In the above embodiment, the mobile phone 100 has been described as an example of the electronic device including the camera unit 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a mobile device such as a PDA. The present invention may be applied to any electronic device.

  In addition, it is needless to say that other specific detailed structures can be appropriately changed.

They are the front view (a) which shows a mobile telephone, and a rear view (b). It is a perspective view which shows a camera unit. It is sectional drawing (a) of the camera unit in the IIIa-IIIa line of FIG. 2, and sectional drawing in the bb line of FIG. 3 (a). It is sectional drawing (a) which shows the conventional camera unit, and sectional drawing in the bb line of Fig.4 (a).

Explanation of symbols

1 frame (case body)
1a Upper opening 2 Cover (lid)
2a, 2b Shaft holding part (supporting part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Moving frame 3a 1st slider part 3b 2nd slider part 4 Ball frame 4a, 4b Shaft holding part 5 Lens (optical member)
6 Image sensor 10 1st drive device (1st drive part)
11 Weight 12 Piezoelectric Element 13 Drive Shaft 14 Actuator Press 20 Second Drive Device (Second Drive Unit)
21 Weight 22 Piezoelectric element 23 Drive shaft 24 Actuator holder 100 Mobile phone (electronic equipment)
200 Camera unit (imaging unit)
250 Movement mechanism

Claims (4)

A substantially box-shaped case body having an upper opening;
A substantially flat lid that closes the upper opening of the case body, and an imaging unit comprising:
An image pickup element on which a subject image is formed is provided on the inner bottom surface of the case body,
A support portion that extends toward the bottom surface of the case body is formed on the lower surface of the lid body, and an optical member that guides a subject image to the image sensor is formed on the lower surface of the lid body. An image pickup unit comprising a moving mechanism for moving along a line. The moving mechanism includes a first drive unit that moves the optical member in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction in which the support unit extends;
A second drive unit that moves the optical member in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the support unit extends and the one direction;
The imaging unit according to claim 1, further comprising: A manufacturing method of an imaging unit, comprising: a substantially box-shaped case body having an imaging element on a bottom surface and having an upper opening above the upper body; and a substantially flat lid body closing the upper opening of the case body,
A first step of forming a support portion standing from the lower surface of the lid,
A second step of disposing a moving mechanism for moving an optical member that guides a subject image to the image sensor along the lower surface of the lid, on the support portion formed in the first step;
A third step of attaching the lid to the case body so as to accommodate the moving mechanism disposed in the second step inside the case body;
An image pickup unit manufacturing method comprising:   An electronic apparatus comprising the imaging unit according to claim 1 in an apparatus main body.

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