JP2015081991A - Lens drive unit, camera device, and electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lens drive unit which enables more stable movement of a carrier supporting a lens in a direction of an optical axis of the lens; a camera device; and an electronic device.SOLUTION: A lens drive unit includes; a carrier 3 that supports a lens; a carrier supporting body 2, 4 positioned to enable movement of the carrier 3 in a direction of an optical axis of the lens; drive sections 6a, 7a, 6b, 7b which drive the carrier 3 in the direction of the optical axis of the lens relative to the carrier supporting body 2, 4; and spherical bodies 12a, 13 located at two opposite positions in a radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens between an outer periphery of the carrier 3 and an inner periphery of the carrier supporting body 2, 4. Force in opposite directions or a same direction is exerted on the spherical bodies 12a, 13, thereby supporting the carrier 3 between parts of the inner periphery of the carrier supporting body 2, 4, with which the spherical bodies 12a, 13 are in contact.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens driving device, and more particularly, to a lens driving device employed in a small-sized autofocus camera such as for a mobile phone and an electronic device with a camera. The present invention also relates to a camera and an electronic device that include the lens driving device.

  In particular, a lens driving device centering on a voice coil motor (VCM) system has been employed in small autofocus cameras such as those for mobile phones and electronic devices with cameras. Focusing and zooming are performed by moving the carrier supporting the lens in the optical axis direction of the lens and the like by the lens driving device.

  In such a lens driving device, various proposals have been conventionally made for the purpose of stably moving the carrier in the lens optical axis direction (Patent Document 1 to Patent Document). 6).

  In these proposals, a guide part for guiding the movement of the carrier in the lens optical axis direction is provided, or a sphere is rotatably provided between the carrier and the carrier support so that the carrier in the lens optical axis direction is provided. It was something to guide the movement of.

JP 2008-40188 A JP 2010-97216 A JP2011-197626A JP2013-68828A JP 2013-76910 A JP 2013-148699 A

  The present invention provides a carrier for supporting a lens, a carrier support in which the carrier is arranged to be movable in the optical axis direction of the lens, and the carrier in the optical axis direction of the lens with respect to the carrier support. An object of the present invention is to propose a lens driving device that can move the carrier in the direction of the lens optical axis more stably.

  And it aims at proposing the camera apparatus provided with the lens drive device in which the movement to the lens optical-axis direction of a carrier is performed more stably, and an electronic device.

The lens driving device proposed by this invention is:
A carrier that supports the lens;
A carrier support in which the carrier is arranged to be movable in the optical axis direction of the lens;
A drive unit that drives the carrier in the optical axis direction of the lens with respect to the carrier support;
Spheres interposed respectively between the outer peripheral side of the carrier and the inner peripheral side of the carrier support at two radially opposing positions around the optical axis of the lens. ,
A lens drive characterized in that forces directed in opposite directions or in the same direction are applied to the sphere, and the carrier is supported between the inner peripheral sides of the carrier support in contact with the sphere. Device.

  In addition, a camera device and an electronic apparatus proposed by the present invention include the lens driving device.

  According to the present invention, a carrier that supports a lens, a carrier support that is disposed so that the carrier is movable in the optical axis direction of the lens, and an optical axis of the lens that is positioned relative to the carrier support. In the lens driving device including the driving unit that drives in the direction, it is possible to provide a lens driving device that can move the carrier in the lens optical axis direction more stably.

  As described above, it is possible to provide a camera device and an electronic apparatus including a lens driving device in which the movement of the carrier in the lens optical axis direction is performed more stably.

It is a top view showing Embodiment 1 of the lens drive device of this invention. It is the perspective view which abbreviate | omitted and represented a part of lens drive device shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which a part of an embodiment of a mechanism in which forces directed in opposite directions are applied to each sphere in the lens driving device illustrated in FIG. 1 is omitted. It is a top view showing Embodiment 2 of the lens drive device of this invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view in which a part of the lens driving device illustrated in FIG. 4 is omitted. It is a top view showing Embodiment 3 of the lens drive device of this invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a part of the lens driving device illustrated in FIG. 6, in which a part of the outer peripheral side of the carrier is pressed to be pressed against the inner peripheral side of the carrier support with a sphere interposed therebetween. FIG. 7 is a perspective view in which a part of the outer periphery side of the carrier in FIG. 6 illustrated in FIG. 6 is omitted, showing a form 2 in which a sphere is sandwiched and pressed against the inner periphery side of the carrier support.

  The lens driving device of the present invention is employed in electronic devices such as a small-sized autofocus camera especially for a mobile phone, a mobile phone equipped with such an autofocus camera, and a multi-function mobile phone.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and variously within the technical scope grasped from the description of the claims. It can be changed.

(Embodiment 1)
A first embodiment of the lens driving device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a carrier 3 that supports a lens (not shown), a carrier support that is arranged so that the carrier 3 can move in the optical axis direction of the lens, and the carrier 3 that supports the carrier. And a drive unit that drives the body in the optical axis direction of the lens. The lens driving device 1 is illustrated with a cover omitted for the sake of explanation.

  In FIG. 1, the position indicated by reference numeral 20 is the position of the optical axis of the lens. The carrier 3 is disposed on the carrier support so as to be movable in the optical axis direction indicated by arrows 24 and 25 in FIG.

  In the first embodiment, the carrier support includes a base 2 and a yoke 4 fixed on the base 2.

  In the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment, the base 2 is rectangular in plan view, and the yoke 4 fixed on the base 2 is formed of a thin magnetic body and has four shapes corresponding to the shape of the base 2. The yoke side 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d has a rectangular structure in plan view. The normal lines of the inner peripheral surfaces of the four yoke sides 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are each perpendicular to the optical axis. In the first embodiment, the yoke 4 is made square when viewed from above.

  A carrier 3 is disposed on the base 2 inside the yoke 4.

  An optical axis direction of the lens with respect to the carrier support on the carrier support corner of one of the carrier support corners formed by two adjacent sides of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. A pair of drive units for driving to are arranged.

  In the first embodiment, the coil 7a is disposed inside the yoke 4 at the corner of the carrier support formed by the adjacent two sides 4a and 4d of the yoke 4, and is formed by the adjacent two sides 4b and 4c of the yoke 4. A coil 7b is disposed inside the yoke 4 at the corner of the carrier support.

  On the other hand, the carrier 3 is provided with magnets 6a and 6b at positions facing the coils 7a and 7b on the outer peripheral side.

  In the first embodiment, the coils 7a and 7b are arranged at the corners of the carrier support, and the magnets 6a and 6b are arranged on the outer periphery of the carrier 3 opposite to the coils 7a and 7b. The triangular shape has a vertex on the side toward the carrier support corner and a base on the carrier 3 side.

  The magnetic poles of the magnets 6a and 6b on the surfaces opposed to the coils 7a and 7b are set so that the N pole and the S pole are reversed corresponding to the two sides in the direction parallel to the optical axis of the coils 7a and 7b.

  The driving force is generated by controlling the current applied to the coils 7a and 7b, and the carrier 3 and the lens (not shown) supported by the carrier 3 are moved in the optical axis direction of the lens to perform focusing and zooming. .

  In the illustrated embodiment 1, yokes 5a and 5b are respectively provided on the outer periphery of the carrier 3 facing the bottom sides of the magnets 6a and 6b, and the magnets 6a and 6b are carriers with the yokes 5a and 5b interposed therebetween. 3 is attached to the outer periphery.

  In the first embodiment, coils 7a and 7b are arranged inside a pair of corners of a yoke 4 which is a pair of opposing carrier support corners, and fixed to the outer periphery of the carrier 3 so as to face the coils 7a and 7b. Magnets 6a and 6b are provided. In this way, a pair of driving units are arranged at two opposing positions in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20.

  On the other hand, in the other carrier support corner formed by two adjacent sides of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support, the other opposite carrier support corner is moved in the lens optical axis direction. A pair of sliding parts for guiding and supporting is arranged.

  In the first embodiment, at the corners of the carrier support formed by the two adjacent sides 4a and 4b of the yoke 4, the spheres 12a and 12b are adjacent to the outer periphery of the carrier 3 and the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. Between the two sides 4a and 4b. Further, in the carrier support corner formed by the two adjacent sides 4c and 4d of the yoke 4, the sphere 13 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 and the adjacent two sides 4c and 4d of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. Between the inner peripheral side and the inner peripheral side.

  In the first embodiment, two spheres are provided in the optical axis direction at the sliding portion on the side where the spheres 12a and 12b are provided. It is desirable that the two spheres 12a and spheres 12b arranged in the optical axis direction have the same size to prevent the carrier 3 from tilting. The sphere 13 is preferably the same size as the spheres 12a and 12b, but is not necessarily the same size.

  There, the peripheral surfaces of the spheres 12a and 12b are in point contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the adjacent two sides 4a and 4b of the yoke 4 (side surfaces of the yoke sides 4a and 4b). Further, the peripheral surface of the sphere 13 is in point contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the two sides 4c and 4d adjacent to the yoke 4 (side surfaces of the yoke sides 4c and 4d).

  In the first embodiment, a sphere support 8 is interposed between the spheres 12 a and 12 b and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3. The contacts between the spheres 12a and 12b and the sphere support 8 are also point contacts. A sphere support 9 is interposed between the sphere 13 and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3. The contact between the sphere 13 and the sphere support 9 is also a point contact.

  The sphere support 8 interposed between the spheres 12a and 12b and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 has a sphere support corner formed by two adjacent sides 8b and 8c. The peripheral surfaces of the spheres 12a and 12b are in point contact with the surfaces of the sides of the two sides 8b and 8c that form the corners of the sphere support. In the first embodiment, the two sides 8b and 8c forming the corners of the sphere support are arranged so as to be symmetrical with respect to the diagonal line of the square yoke 4 in plan view. Although not shown, the carrier 3 can also serve as the sphere support 8, and the peripheral surfaces of the spheres 12a and 12b can be in point contact with the outer peripheral surface of the carrier 3.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sphere support 9 interposed between the sphere 13 and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 is constituted by a spring obtained by curving a plate material. The sphere support 9 includes a sphere support corner formed by two adjacent sides 9c and 9d. The peripheral surface of the sphere 13 is in point contact with the surfaces of the sides of the two sides 9c and 9d that form the corners of the sphere support. In the first embodiment, the two sides 9c and 9d forming the corners of the sphere support are arranged so as to be line symmetric with respect to the diagonal line of the square yoke 4 in plan view.

  Thus, at one of the pair of opposing corners of the yoke 4, the spheres 12a and 12b make point contact with the sphere support 8 interposed between the carrier 3 and the yoke sides 4a and 4b. Point contact with the peripheral surface. In addition, at the other of the pair of opposite corners of the yoke 4, the sphere 13 makes point contact with the sphere support 9 interposed between the yoke 3 and a point on the inner peripheral surface of the yoke sides 4c and 4d. Contact. With this structure, a pair of sliding portions arranged at two opposite positions in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens denoted by reference numeral 20 guides and supports the movement of the carrier 3 in the optical axis direction. It has become.

  The spherical body support 9 is connected by a middle side 9b between a base side 9a that abuts on the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 and a front side 9c, 9d that abuts on the sphere 13, and the sphere 13 and the carrier 3 An urging force is applied in a direction in which the gap between the outer peripheral side and the optical axis of the lens is expanded in the radial direction.

  Due to the biasing force applied by the sphere support 9, a force in the direction indicated by the arrow 22 is applied to the sphere 13 and a force in the direction indicated by the arrow 23 is applied to the carrier 3 (FIG. 3).

  The urging force by the sphere support 9 applied to the carrier 3 in the direction of the arrow 23 in FIG. 3 is also applied to the spheres 12a and 12b via the sphere support 8 (FIG. 1).

  As a result, the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b are applied with forces directed outward in the radial direction centered on the optical axis indicated by reference numeral 20 and in opposite directions. Thus, the carrier 3 is supported between the inner peripheral sides of the yoke 4 with which the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b are in contact.

  That is, the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 on the side where the sphere support 8 is interposed between the spheres 12a and 12b receives a force in the direction indicated by the arrow 23 in FIG. 1, and in this direction, the spheres 12a and 12b The spheres 12 a and 12 b are pressed against the yoke sides 4 a and 4 b of the yoke 4.

  On the other hand, on the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 on the side where the spring as the sphere support 9 is interposed between the sphere 13 and the sphere 13, the sphere 13 exerts a force in the direction indicated by the arrow 22 by the biasing force applied by the sphere support 9. The yoke 4 is pressed against the yoke sides 4c and 4d.

  Thus, the carrier 3 is supported between the yoke sides 4a and 4b of the yoke 4 with which the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b are in contact with each other, and the yoke sides 4c and 4d.

  This support is an equal force in the opposite directions to each other outward in the radial direction centered on the optical axis indicated by reference numeral 20 due to the biasing force applied by the sphere support 9. Therefore, the carrier 3 is supported in a well-balanced manner inside the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

  That is, the carrier 3 is a pair of sliding portions arranged at one opposing carrier support corner of the carrier support corner formed by two adjacent sides of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. Thus, the carrier support is supported in a well-balanced manner. Then, the spheres 12a, 12b, 13 in the sliding portion are in contact with the counterpart member by point contact as described above. Therefore, the carrier 3 is smoothly moved in the direction of the optical axis indicated by the arrows 24 and 25 by the driving force applied from the pair of driving portions arranged at the other opposite carrier support corner in the carrier support corner. Can be moved.

  In particular, in the case of the first embodiment, since the directions indicated by the arrows 22 and 23 are the diagonal directions of the square yoke 4, the force with which the spheres 12 a and 12 b are pressed against the yoke sides 4 a and 4 b of the yoke 4 is the yoke 4. The line is symmetrical about the diagonal line. The same applies to the force by which the sphere 13 is pressed against the yoke sides 4c, 4d of the yoke 4, the force applied to the two sides 8b, 8c of the sphere support 8, and the force applied to the two sides 9c, 9d of the sphere support 9. For this reason, the carrier 3 is supported more stably because the balance of how to apply the force is good on the left and right of the diagonal line of the yoke 4.

  Note that the sphere support 9 is in point contact with the peripheral surface of the sphere 13, and a force in a direction in which the space between the sphere 13 and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 is expanded in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens is What is necessary is just a means given to the carrier 3. Therefore, the spring is not limited to the above-described curved plate as long as it can exhibit such a function.

  In the first embodiment, the position sensor 10a is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the yoke side 4a of the yoke 4, and the scale magnet 10b is provided at a position facing the outer peripheral wall of the carrier 3. When a current is passed through the coils 7a and 7b to generate a driving force, the position sensor 10a always grasps the position of the carrier 3 in the optical axis direction and controls the position.

  In the first embodiment, the spheres arranged at the corners on the side where the sphere support 8 is arranged include two spheres 12a and spheres 12b arranged in the direction of the optical axis. It has become.

  A plurality of spheres are arranged in the optical axis direction in this way, at least one of the spheres constituting the sliding portions respectively arranged at the radially opposing positions around the optical axis of the lens. It is desirable to have a structure. With such a structure, since the carrier 3 can be supported in the yoke 4 at three points in the radial direction centering on the optical axis of the lens, the support state is stable and advantageous.

  In the first embodiment, support between the sphere 12a and the yoke sides 4a and 4b, support between the sphere 12b and the yoke sides 4a and 4b at different positions in the optical axis direction, and the sphere 13 and Support at three points is performed between the yoke sides 4c and 4d. Furthermore, it is desirable to place the sphere 13 between the sphere 12a and the sphere 12b at a position in the optical axis direction because the support state is stable.

  In the first embodiment, the sphere support 8 includes a partition plate 8a that protrudes outward at an intermediate portion in the optical axis direction. In the case of a structure in which a plurality of spheres are arranged in the optical axis direction, it is desirable to have a structure in which partition pieces are interposed between spheres adjacent in the optical axis direction. Such a structure is advantageous because sliding between the respective spheres 12a and 12b, the yoke sides 4a and 4b, and the sides 8b and 8c of the sphere support 8 can be performed independently of each other. The partition piece may be provided on the spherical body support 8 or on the carrier 3.

  In the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment, the carrier 3 is supported by the carrier support in a balanced manner by the sliding portions provided at each of the radially opposing positions around the optical axis of the lens. And the contact between the members in this sliding part is a point contact. In addition, a pair of drive units are disposed at positions that are opposed to each other in the radial direction around the optical axis of the lens and that are opposed to each other in the radial direction perpendicular to the radial direction where the sliding portion is disposed. Therefore, the carrier 3 can be smoothly moved in the optical axis direction indicated by the arrows 24 and 25 with respect to the carrier support by the driving force applied from the driving unit.

  As a result, in the camera apparatus and the electronic apparatus including the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment, the carrier 3 and the lens supported by the carrier 3 are stably moved in the optical axis direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the carrier 3 can be used as a vertical position restriction of the sphere 13 by projecting the upper and lower end surfaces to the position of the sphere 13. For the spheres 12a and 12b, a cover, a partition plate 8a, and a base 2 (not shown) can be used.

  The sphere may have one sphere 12 and a plurality of, for example, two spheres 13.

  In addition, at least one of the sphere supports 8 and 9 may be configured such that, for example, the sides 8b and 8c or the sides 9c and 9d form one gentle arc so as to contact the spheres 12a, 12b, or 13 at one point.

  Further, the drive unit may be a method using a piezo element or a method using a shape memory alloy instead of the VCM method using a coil and a magnet.

(Embodiment 2)
A second embodiment of the lens driving device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The parts common to the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the lens driving device 11 according to the second embodiment, the coils 7 c and 7 d are arranged inside the yoke 4 along the yoke sides 4 b and 4 a of the yoke 4. The magnets 6c and 6d attached to the outer periphery of the carrier 3 via the yokes 5c and 5d have shapes and structures that extend along the yoke sides 4b and 4a corresponding to the shapes of the coils 7c and 7d.

  Other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS.

  In the second embodiment, the position sensor 10a is disposed opposite to the magnet 6c fixed to the outer periphery of the carrier 3, and the magnet 6c is also used as a scale magnet.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the yoke 4 d of the yoke 4 is omitted from the intermediate portion, and the end of the yoke 4 d is attached to the wall 2 a of the base 2. Manufacture is easy because the yoke 4 does not have to be closed.

  Also in the second embodiment, the carrier 3 is supported between the yoke sides 4a and 4b and the yoke sides 4c and 4d of the yoke 4 with which the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b are in contact. This support is an equal force in the opposite directions to each other outward in the radial direction centered on the optical axis indicated by reference numeral 20 due to the biasing force applied by the sphere support 9. Therefore, the carrier 3 is supported in a well-balanced manner inside the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

(Embodiment 3)
A third embodiment of the lens driving device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The parts common to the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the first and second embodiments, a pair of sliding portions are arranged at two opposite positions in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20. Specifically, movement of the carrier 3 in the lens optical axis direction is performed on the opposite carrier support corners of the carrier support corners formed by two adjacent sides of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. A pair of sliding parts for guiding and supporting was arranged.

  Also in the third embodiment, a pair of sliding portions are arranged at two opposite positions in the radial direction with the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20 as the center. However, in the third embodiment, the positions where the pair of sliding portions are arranged are the opposite carriers in the corners of the carrier support formed by two adjacent sides of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. It can be formed at places other than the corners of the support.

  In the lens driving device 21 of the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the yoke side 4a in the first embodiment is bent inward as the yoke side 4e from the middle. The remaining portion of the yoke side 4 a in the first embodiment is a base wall 2 d of the base 2.

  Further, the yoke side 4c in the first embodiment is bent inward from the middle as the yoke side 4f. The remaining part of the yoke side 4 c in the first embodiment is a base wall 2 b of the base 2.

  As a result, in the third embodiment, the pair of corners of the yoke 4 where the pair of drive units including the coils 7a and 7b and the magnets 6a and 6b are arranged are magnetic portions (yoke side 4d and yoke side 4b). And portions not having magnetism (base wall 2d, base wall 2b).

  In the third embodiment, in the corners of the carrier support formed by the two adjacent sides 4a and 4e of the yoke 4, the spheres 12a and 12b are adjacent to the outer periphery of the carrier 3 and the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. Between the two sides 4a and 4e. Further, in the carrier support corner formed by the adjacent two sides 4c and 4f of the yoke 4, the sphere 13 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 and the adjacent two sides 4c and 4f of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support. Between the inner peripheral side and the inner peripheral side.

  The peripheral surfaces of the spherical bodies 12a and 12b are in point contact with the inner peripheral surfaces (side surfaces of the yoke sides 4a and 4e) of the adjacent two sides 4a and 4e of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

  Further, the peripheral surface of the sphere 13 is in point contact with the inner peripheral surfaces (side surfaces of the yoke sides 4c and 4f) of the adjacent two sides 4c and 4f of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

  Also in the third embodiment, a sphere support is interposed between the spheres 12 a, 12 b, 13 and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3. The contacts between the spheres 12a, 12b, 13 and the sphere support are also point contacts.

  The sphere support 18 interposed between the spheres 12a and 12b and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 includes a sphere support corner formed by two adjacent sides 18a and 18b. The peripheral surfaces of the spheres 12a and 12b are in point contact with the respective side surfaces of the two sides 18a and 18b forming the corners of the sphere support.

  The sphere support 19 interposed between the sphere 13 and the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 includes a sphere support corner formed by two adjacent sides 19a and 19b. The peripheral surface of the sphere 13 is in point contact with the surfaces of the sides of the two sides 19a and 19b that form the corners of the sphere support.

  As in the first embodiment, the sphere support 18 includes a partition plate 18c that protrudes outward at an intermediate portion in the optical axis direction, and includes two spheres 12a and 12b that are arranged in the optical axis direction. It is partitioned.

  As described above, the spheres 12 a and 12 b are in point contact with the sphere support 18 interposed between the carrier 3 at two locations facing each other in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens denoted by reference numeral 20. At the same time, point contact is made with the inner peripheral surfaces of the yoke sides 4a and 4e. Further, the sphere 13 makes point contact with the sphere support 19 interposed between the sphere 13 and the carrier 3, and also makes point contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the yoke sides 4c and 4f. With this structure, a pair of sliding portions are arranged at two opposite positions in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20, and guides and supports the movement of the carrier 3 in the optical axis direction. It has become.

  In the third embodiment, the pair of corners of the yoke 4 on which the pair of drive units including the coils 7a and 7b and the magnets 6a and 6b are arranged are magnetized with the magnetic parts (the yoke side 4d and the yoke side 4b). It is formed by the part which does not have (base wall 2d, base wall 2b). Therefore, the magnet 6a can be attracted in the direction of the yoke side 4d (in the direction of the arrow 28 shown in FIG. 6), and at the same time, the magnet 6b can be attracted in the direction of the yoke side 4b (in the direction of the arrow 29). .

  By attracting the magnets 6a and 6b in such a direction, a force is generated in the carrier 3 in the circumferential direction about the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20, as indicated by arrows 26 and 27. .

  This force applied to the carrier 3 is applied to the spheres 13, 12 a and 12 b via the sphere supports 19 and 18 arranged on the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3. Thereby, forces directed in the same direction, that is, forces directed in the circumferential direction around the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20 are applied to the spheres 13, 12 a, 12 b as indicated by arrows 26, 27. .

  As a result, forces in the same direction are applied to the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b, and the carrier 3 is placed between the inner peripheral sides of the yoke 4 with which the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b are in contact. Supported.

  That is, the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 on the side where the sphere support 18 is interposed between the spheres 12a and 12b receives a force in the direction indicated by the arrow 27 in FIG. 6, and in this direction, the spheres 12a and 12b The spheres 12a and 12b are pressed against the yoke sides 4a and 4e of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

  On the other hand, the outer peripheral side of the carrier 3 on the side where the sphere support 19 is interposed between the sphere 13 receives a force in the direction indicated by the arrow 26 in FIG. The sphere 13 is pressed against the yoke sides 4a and 4f of the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

  Thus, the carrier 3 is supported between the yoke sides 4c and 4f of the yoke 4 with which the sphere 13 and the spheres 12a and 12b abut, and the yoke sides 4a and 4e, respectively.

  This support is the same force in the same direction toward the circumferential direction centered on the optical axis indicated by reference numeral 20 by the attractive force generated by the magnetic force between the magnets 6a, 6b and the yokes 4d, 4b. Therefore, the carrier 3 is supported in a well-balanced manner inside the yoke 4 constituting the carrier support.

  That is, the carrier 3 is supported by the carrier support in a well-balanced manner by a pair of sliding portions disposed at two opposite positions in the radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens indicated by reference numeral 20. Then, the spheres 12a, 12b, 13 in the sliding portion are in contact with the counterpart member by point contact as described above. As a result, the carrier 3 is smoothly moved in the optical axis direction indicated by the arrows 24 and 25 by the driving force applied from the pair of driving units provided at the pair of carrier supporting body corners in the carrier supporting body corners. Can move.

  Also in the third embodiment, the two sides 4a and 4e of the yoke 4 and the two sides 18a and 18b of the sphere support 18 are formed with the direction of the force applied to the spheres 12a, 12b and 13 indicated by arrows 27 and 26 as axes. It is desirable that the two sides 4c and 4f of the yoke 4 and the two sides 19a and 19b of the spherical body support 19 are line symmetrical. With such a configuration, the carrier 3 is supported more stably.

1, 11, 21 Lens driving device 3 Carrier 20 Lens optical axis position 2 Base 2a, 2b, 2d Base wall 4 Yoke 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f Yoke sides 5a, 5b 5c, 5d Yoke 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d Magnets 7a, 7b 7c, 7d Coil 8 Sphere support 8a Partition plate 8b, 8c Sphere support side 9 Sphere support 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d Sphere support side 10a Position sensor 10b Scale magnet 12a, 12b Sphere 13 Sphere 18 Sphere support 18a, 18b Sphere support side 19 Sphere support 19a, 19b Sphere support side

Claims (10)

A carrier that supports the lens;
A carrier support in which the carrier is arranged to be movable in the optical axis direction of the lens;
A drive unit that drives the carrier in the optical axis direction of the lens with respect to the carrier support;
Spheres interposed respectively between the outer peripheral side of the carrier and the inner peripheral side of the carrier support at two radially opposing positions around the optical axis of the lens. ,
A lens drive characterized in that forces directed in opposite directions or in the same direction are applied to the sphere, and the carrier is supported between the inner peripheral sides of the carrier support in contact with the sphere. apparatus. The lens drive according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential surface of the sphere is in point contact with each side surface of the two sides of the carrier support corner formed by two adjacent sides of the carrier support. apparatus. A sphere support is interposed between the sphere and the carrier outer peripheral side, the sphere support has a sphere support corner formed by two adjacent sides, and the sphere support corner The lens driving device according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential surface of the sphere is in point contact with the surface of each of the two sides. The sphere support body interposed between one sphere of the spheres arranged in a radially opposing position around the optical axis of the lens and the outer peripheral side of the carrier, The urging means for applying an urging force in a direction in which a gap between one sphere of the spheres and an outer peripheral side of the carrier is expanded in a radial direction centering on the optical axis of the lens. 4. The lens driving device according to 3. 5. The force applied to the sphere in opposite directions is a force directed outward in a radial direction centered on the optical axis of the lens. 6. The lens drive device described in 1. 4. The force applied to the sphere in the same direction is a force directed in a circumferential direction around the optical axis of the lens. 5. The lens driving device described. At least one of the spheres arranged at each of the radially opposing positions around the optical axis of the lens is composed of a plurality of spheres arranged in the optical axis direction. The lens driving device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lens driving device is characterized in that: The lens driving device according to claim 7, wherein a partition piece is interposed between the spheres adjacent in the optical axis direction of the plurality of spheres arranged in the optical axis direction. .   A camera device comprising the lens driving device according to claim 1.   The electronic device provided with the lens drive device in any one of Claims 1-8.

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