JP3838576B2 - The camera module - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera module, and more particularly to a camera module configured to be small and light.

  Camera modules used in mobile terminals such as mobile phones are required to have an autofocus (AF) function and zoom function, and the mobile terminals themselves are required to be smaller and lighter. And weight reduction is desired.

  However, when downsizing a camera module incorporating an autofocus (AF) function or a zoom function in this way, it is necessary to make the zoom lens used compact and reduce the number of parts. However, the zoom lens has its focal length. In order to change the lens, it is necessary to move the lens by a certain distance, and there are a driving source for moving the lens, a moving mechanism for the lens, a gear for transmitting the driving force to the moving mechanism for the lens, etc. Ingenuity is necessary.

  In addition, when such a lens moving drive source, a lens moving mechanism, and a gear that transmits driving force to the lens moving mechanism are incorporated in a camera module, these structures are inevitably held with a certain strength. Of course, the camera module housing must be firmly constructed.

  As such a small camera module, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228867 shows a one in which a cylindrical cam disposed on the side surface of an optical system is driven by a single motor to drive a zoom lens frame and a focusing lens frame. Has been. Patent Document 2 shows a camera module with a zoom built in a mobile phone. When an operator manually operates a cylindrical cam arranged on the side surface of the optical system and exposed on the side surface of the mobile phone, the zoom lens frame and the focus are fixed. The object lens frame is driven to move the subject side lens.

  In addition, the camera module is designed to be miniaturized by disposing an autofocus lead screw and a zoom lead screw on one side of the case, and allowing the lens to be assembled from one direction of the lens barrel (hereinafter referred to as the camera module). (Referred to as Prior Art 1), two-point switching between telephoto and macro in a pan-focus lens using a cylindrical cam adjacent to the lens frame (hereinafter referred to as Prior Art 2), and a subject side lens. There is a lens frame guide support part in the housing, and the lens frame for space efficiency is improved by driving the zoom and focus lens frame with two lead screws (hereinafter referred to as prior art 3). .

  Further, in order to make the lens barrel compact, a zoom lead screw is arranged in the first quadrant around the optical axis, a focus lead screw is arranged in the second quadrant, and a guide shaft of the lens frame is arranged in the third quadrant (hereinafter, conventional) (Referred to as technology 4), the object housing lens is held by the upper housing, and the zoom and focus lens frames are each driven by lead screws, and the two lead screw bearings and the two lens frame guide shaft bearings are There is a type provided with an upper housing and a CCD attached to the lower housing (hereinafter referred to as prior art 5).

JP 7-63970 A JP 2003-258971 A

  However, the device described in Patent Document 1 relates to a camera module in a video camera and is relatively large, and no consideration is given to downsizing as in a camera module incorporated in a mobile terminal as described above. . The device disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a small camera module built in a mobile phone or the like, but is manually operated by an operator and cannot be applied to a camera module in which zoom and focus are performed by a motor. .

  In the prior arts 1 and 4, the autofocus lead screw and the zoom lead screw are arranged on one side of the case to reduce the size, but the autofocus and zoom lead screws are provided separately. However, the conventional technology 2 uses a cylindrical cam adjacent to the lens frame to switch between telephoto and macro, but this module is for pan focus and is not helpful when incorporating autofocus. .

  Further, in the conventional technique 3, the space efficiency of the lens barrel is improved. However, when viewed as a camera module, the object side lens is simply held in the housing and the guide support portion of the lens frame is provided, so that a driving source such as a motor is provided. Are not integrated, and this is difficult to refer to. In the prior art 5, the drive mechanism and the CCD are attached to different housings, so that the assembly requires a complicated process, and it cannot be used as a mechanism for reducing the size of the camera module.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera module that is compact, lightweight, and can be firmly configured even when an autofocus (AF) function or a zoom function is incorporated.

A first invention for solving the above-described problem includes an optical lens group,
A lens moving mechanism for moving a plurality of lenses in the optical lens group in a predetermined direction to change focus adjustment and / or photographing magnification;
First and second housings constituting a housing of the camera module;
A first image pickup unit on which a substrate on which an image pickup element is mounted , a lens holding unit for positioning and holding at least a part of the lenses of the optical lens group formed integrally with the first housing, and a substrate on which the image pickup element is mounted; An element mounting portion;
A second image sensor mounting portion for mounting a substrate on which the image sensor formed in the second housing is mounted ;
A bolt mounting portion disposed at a corner of the first housing and substantially at a corner;
A bolt holding portion arranged corresponding to the position of the bolt mounting portion in the second housing;
A first adhesion site formed at a substantially diagonal position of the bolt mounting portion with respect to the center of the first housing;
A second adhesion site formed at a position corresponding to the first adhesion site in the second housing;
When the first adhesion part of the first housing and the second adhesion part of the second housing are fixed by adhesion, and the adhesion is performed, the first adhesion part and the second adhesion part are attached to each other. A concave portion that is an adhesive reservoir for adhering the substrate on which the image sensor is mounted is formed at an adjacent location and between the first image sensor attachment portion and the second image sensor attachment portion. It is characterized by being.

According to a second invention, in the first invention, the bolt holding portion is disposed at a position where the thickness of the second housing can be secured, and the second bonding portion is a position where the thickness of the second housing is reduced. Arranged .

According to a third invention, in the first invention or the second invention, a lens holder for holding a lens of the optical lens group, a cylindrical cam constituting the lens moving mechanism for moving the lens holder, and the lens holder are guided. A guide shaft, and the cylindrical cam, the guide shaft, and the first and second adhesion portions are arranged at an outer peripheral portion of the lens holding portion and close to the lens holding portion. It was.

According to a fourth invention, in the third invention, a drive source for applying a driving force to a cylindrical cam arranged close to the lens holding portion is further provided, and the bolt mounting portion is located at a position close to the drive source or the cylindrical cam. Therefore, the lens holding part is disposed at a position away from the lens holding part .

According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the cylindrical cam and the guide shaft are arranged at an outer peripheral portion of the lens holding portion and close to the lens holding portion, and a drive source for driving the cylindrical cam is provided. A gear group is disposed near the outer edge of the first housing, and transmits a driving force from the driving source to the cylindrical cam between the driving source and the cylindrical cam .

According to a sixth invention, in the first to fifth inventions, the first housing has a side wall and a notch that are open on one side and have a lens holding portion as a thick portion, and the second housing The side wall having the thickened portion on the bolt holding portion side and the thickened portion of the first housing and the thickened portion of the second housing are provided at substantially diagonal positions with the second adhesion site side being thinned. Tei Ru.

According to a seventh invention, in the first to sixth inventions, the substrate on which the imaging element is mounted when the second adhesion site in the second housing is adhered to the first adhesion site in the first housing. that having a recess reservoir adhesive for bonding is formed a.

  According to the present invention, the housing is constituted by the first housing that houses the optical lens group and the lens moving mechanism, and the second housing that holds the image pickup device, and is bolted to a substantially corner portion of the first housing. An adhesive fixing portion is provided at a portion that is substantially diagonal to the bolt mounting portion and at a substantially corner portion, and the first and second housings are fixed by the bolt mounting portion and the adhesive fixing portion. As a result, the bolt mounting part is placed at a position where the thickness of the casing can be taken, but the adhesive fixing part at the part farthest from the bolt mounting part does not need to secure the thickness of the casing, and the overall size can be reduced. I can plan. In addition, it is possible to fix one point firmly with bolts, and to prevent the housing from being pivoted around the bolt fixing part at the adhesive part, so that it can be fixed, so it is compact even if an autofocus (AF) function or zoom function is incorporated. Thus, it is possible to provide a camera module that is lightweight and can be configured firmly.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified, but are merely illustrative examples. Not too much.

  1 is a perspective view showing an example of a camera module according to the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first housing of a housing used in the camera module according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a first view shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a shaft is attached to the first housing shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which a gear is attached to the shaft shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state after gears are mounted on the shaft shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an optical lens system and a cylindrical cam incorporated in the first housing shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a top view (A) and a bottom view (B) of the lens holder, and FIG. 10 is a view showing the state in which the lens holder is assembled in the first housing. 11 is a perspective view, The perspective view which shows the 2nd housing with a flexible substrate with a flexible substrate, FIG. 12 is a perspective view which shows the state which fixed the motor for driving to the outer edge of the notch part formed in the 2nd housing, FIG. FIG. 14 is a perspective view for explaining attachment of a CCD, and FIG. 15 is a camera module according to the embodiment. FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a motor is fixed to an outer edge of a notch portion formed in a second housing. It is a figure which shows schematically an example of the mobile phone in which is incorporated.

In FIG. 1, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a camera housing (hereinafter simply referred to as a housing) formed of, for example, fluorine-containing polycarbonate, 12 denotes an optical lens system, and 13 denotes a lens. A driving mechanism, 11a is a notch (opening) portion formed in the housing 11, a hatched portion indicated by 14 is a cover plate (light shielding member) covering the notch (opening) 11a, and 15 is a CCD housing 11 is disposed on the bottom surface side of the light source 11 and converts the light received through the optical lens system 12 into an electrical signal. Reference numeral 16 denotes an optical sensor (light emitting element and light receiving element) provided on a substrate attached to the side surface of the housing 11, and this optical sensor 16 is formed on an outer peripheral surface of, for example, a cylindrical portion 30 a provided on a cylindrical cam 30 described later. detecting a reference line whose color is different, the rotational position or rotational angle of the cylindrical cam or by detecting the rotation amount or the like, calculates the movement amount from the reference position and the reference position of the optical lens system 12, further The substrate on which the optical sensor 16 is mounted also serves as a shielding plate that shields an opening (notch portion) 41f (see FIG. 12) provided in the one side wall 41c of the second housing 41.

  2, 3, and 10, 11 b is a notch formed in the housing 11, and 21 is a first housing that constitutes the housing 11, and the first housing 21 is continuous with the upper surface thereof. The first side wall portion 21a and the second side wall portion 21b are made thick, and both sides of the thick wall portions 21a and 21b are notched portions (openings) 11a and 11b. . Reference numeral 22 denotes an opening as a holding part of an optical lens system (not shown in FIG. 2) housed in the base part (upper surface in FIG. 2) of the first housing 21, and 22 a denotes an inner peripheral surface of the opening 22. A plurality of annular bodies 22b extending inward in the radial direction protrude inward in the radial direction of the annular body 22a and are formed at predetermined angular intervals (in the example shown in the figure, they are formed at three locations. The reference surface portion is hidden), 22c is a positioning convex portion for positioning the lens at the center position, 22d is a notch portion for allowing the lens holder 34 to enter, and 23 is an upper portion of the housing portion 21 in the figure. In the example shown in the figure, the reference point portions are formed in three locations.

  In FIG. 4, reference numeral 24 denotes a mounting portion of a lens driving mechanism (not shown in FIG. 4) that is formed in the vicinity of the opening 22 and is mounted on the base portion of the first housing 21. A cam mounting portion 27 to which a cylindrical cam described later is attached, and a shaft body 28 protruding upward in the vicinity of the cam mounting portion 27 are formed. 25a and 25b are first and second holes formed in the base portion on the outer edge side of the opening 22 with an interval of about 180 degrees, and 25c and 25d are third and fourth holes formed in the mounting portion 24. The holes 26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d are first, second, third, and fourth shafts made of, for example, stainless steel, and the shafts 26a to 26d are shortened in that order. The shafts 26a and 26b are inserted into the first hole 25a and the second hole 25b as guide members for guiding an optical lens system (not shown in FIG. 4), and the shafts 26c and 26d are the third holes. The gear is mounted by being inserted into the portion 25c and the fourth hole portion 25d. Reference numeral 46 denotes a screw hole that is provided at a thick corner of the first housing 21 and serves as a bolt mounting portion when a second housing 41 (to be described later) is combined with a screw (not shown).

  In FIG. 5, 29a to 29d are gears to be inserted into the third and fourth shafts 26c and 26d as indicated by broken arrows, and the first gear 29a is inserted into the third shaft 26c. A second gear 29b is inserted on the gear 29a. A third gear 29c is inserted into the fourth shaft 26d, and a fourth gear 29d is inserted into the shaft body 28. The second gear 29b and the third gear 29c mesh with each other, the third gear 29c and the first gear 29a mesh with each other, the first gear 29a and the fourth gear 29d mesh with each other, and the driving force is transmitted. When the first to fourth gears 29a to 29d are incorporated, the state shown in FIG. 6 is obtained. Reference numeral 45 denotes a wall portion in contact with a wall portion 44 of the second housing 41 described later by the first side wall portion 21a of the first housing 21, and reference numeral 47 denotes a bond between the first housing 21 and the second housing 41. FIG. 14 shows an adhesive fixing portion 58 provided substantially diagonally to the bolt mounting portion 46 in the first housing 21 when the first housing 21 and the second housing 41 are combined and fixed. It is an adhesive reservoir when a recess is formed in the substrate and a substrate on which the CCD 15 is mounted is bonded.

7, 8, and 9, reference numeral 30 denotes a cylindrical cam (cam member) constituting the lens driving mechanism 13 incorporated in the first housing 21, and the cylindrical cam 30 is made of metal, resin, fluorine-containing resin, or the like. It is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a cylindrical portion 30a and a helical body 30b formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 30a. A lower surface 30d is defined, the surface 30c is used as a zoom / focus surface, the surface 30d is used as a zoom surface, and a cam mounted on the outer edge of the first housing 21 is further provided at the lower end. An insertion end 30 e to be inserted into the bearing portion of the placement portion 27 is provided. Note that the cylindrical portion 30a of the Although not shown cylindrical cam 30 extends in the vertical direction in the drawing, for example, reference line the outer peripheral surface and the color of the cylindrical portion 30a is different are formed.

  31 and 32 are annular first and second lens bodies constituting the optical lens system 12, and 33 and 34 are lens holders (lens holding portions) 33a and 33a of the first and second lens bodies 31 and 32, respectively. Reference numeral 33b denotes a support arm portion that is formed so as to protrude outward in the radial direction of the outer peripheral surface of the lens holder 33. The support arm portion 33c is inserted into the shafts 26a and 26b serving as guide shafts for guiding the movement of the lens holder 33 in the optical axis direction. The cam abutting bodies 34a and 34b that abut on the outer periphery of the outer circumferential surface are inserted in the same manner as the support arm portions 33a and 33b so that the shafts 26a and 26b serving as guide shafts for guiding the movement of the lens holder 34 in the optical axis direction are inserted. 34c is a cam abutting body that abuts the cylindrical cam 30, 34d is a notch, and 35 and 36 are lens holders 33 and 34. Held in that an optical lens (optical lens group), 37 is a spring member for urging in a direction to attract each other by connecting the lens holder 33 and 34. The support arm portions 33b and 34b and the cam contact bodies 33c and 34c have a predetermined angle θ (see FIG. 9B) on the circumference around the optical axis of the lens holder 33, and When the support arm portions 33b and 34b and the cam contact bodies 33c and 34c are projected in the optical axis direction, the support arm portions 33b and 34b are arranged at positions where at least a part thereof overlaps.

  11, 12, and 13, reference numeral 38 denotes a driving motor (for example, a stepping motor) that constitutes the lens driving mechanism 13, and reference numeral 38 a denotes a gear that is attached to the motor shaft of the driving motor 38. 11 is arranged on the third gear 29c shown in FIG. 8 with the gear 38a facing downward, and the gear 38a meshes with the second gear 29b. Reference numeral 39 denotes a mounting portion of the flexible substrate 40 disposed on the side surface of the drive motor 38. The other side of the flexible substrate 40 is provided with the optical sensor 16 and faces the cylindrical cam 30 to drive the drive motor. (For example, a stepping motor) 38 is pulled out to the outside of the second housing 41 used as a motor base portion to which the motor 38 is attached. 41a is a support surface portion on which the bottom portion (surface on the shaft gear side) of the drive motor 38 is mounted, and 41b is an opening hole formed in the support surface portion 41a. The drive motor meshes with the third gear 29c. 38 shaft gears are inserted. 41c is one side wall of the second housing 41, 41d is a hole formed in the one side wall 41c, a hatched portion indicated by 41e is a cover plate (light shielding member) for shielding the cutout portion 11b, and 41f is a cylinder. An opening (notch) for attaching the optical sensor 16 for detecting the reference line provided on the cam 30, 42 is a notch (opening) that extends in the vertical direction on the side surface of the second housing 41 and has an open upper end. 12 and 13), the side wall of the second housing 41 is thin near the notch 42, and the width of the notch 42 is the diameter of the drive motor 38. Is smaller than Furthermore, the camera module of this embodiment is provided with notches (openings) 11a and 11b as shown in FIG. 2 in addition to the opening 41f and the opening 42. The length in the depth direction of the second housing 41 on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens holders 33 and 34 is made substantially equal to the sum of the diameter of the cylindrical cam 30 and the diameter of the drive motor 38. is there. A hatched line 43 (see FIG. 13) is a cover plate that closes the drawer portion of the flexible substrate 40. 44 denotes a wall portion of the second housing 41 in contact with the wall portion 45 of the first side wall portion 21a of the first housing 21 and 59 denotes a bolt mounting portion 46 of the first housing 21. It is the bolt holding part which accommodated the internal thread.

  In FIG. 14, 42a is a cover that shields the notch (opening) 42, 48 is a measurement reference point for fixing the CCD 15 shown in FIG. 1, 60a and 60b are image sensors for bonding the substrate on which the CCD 15 is mounted. In FIG. 15, 50 is a mobile phone as an example of a mobile terminal, 51 is an operation unit, 52 is a display using liquid crystal, 53 is a first case unit on which the operation unit 51 is mounted, and 54 is a display 52. Is a second case portion in which is mounted, 55 is a hinge mechanism, and 56 is a camera module.

  The camera module according to the present embodiment uses a resin such as polycarbonate containing fluorine for the housing of the camera housing 11, the first housing 21 that houses the optical lens system 12 and the lens moving mechanism, and the imaging of the CCD 15 and the like. And a second housing 41 that holds a substrate on which the element is mounted. A bolt mounting portion 46 is provided at a substantially corner portion of the first housing 21, and is substantially diagonal to the bolt mounting portion 46. By providing the adhesive fixing portion 47 at the corner portion and fixing the first and second housings with the bolt mounting portion 46 and the adhesive fixing portion 47, the bolt mounting portion 46 has a thickness in the housing 11. However, it is not necessary to secure the thickness of the casing 11, and the adhesive fixing portion 47 located farthest from the bolt mounting portion is firmly fixed and bonded at one bolt. Since the fixed portion 47 can be fixed while preventing the rotational housing from being pivoted around the bolt fixing portion 46, it can be compact, lightweight, and firmly constructed even if an autofocus (AF) function or a zoom function is incorporated. A camera module can be provided.

  The camera module according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has a camera casing 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as a casing) formed of a resin such as fluorine-containing polycarbonate to improve durability and slidability. The first housing 21 shown in FIG. 2 incorporating the drive mechanism 13 for use and the second housing 41 holding the motor 38 shown in FIG. 12 are combined, and the substrate, the light emitting element, and the light receiving element incorporating the imaging CCD 15 The optical sensor 16 and the cover plates (light-shielding members) 14 and 41e are attached, and are extremely small because they are used as, for example, an imaging device for the mobile phone 50 as shown in FIG. It is configured. Further, the operation of the operation unit 51 shown in FIG. 15 allows the camera module to perform a shooting operation, a zooming operation, and the like.

  FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the operation unit 51 and the display 52 of the mobile phone 50 as viewed (open state). The illustrated mobile phone 50 includes a first case unit on which the operation unit 51 is mounted. 53 and the second case portion 54 on which the display 52 is mounted are connected by a hinge mechanism 55, and the first and second case portions 53 and 54 are rotatable around the hinge mechanism 55. .

  Then, the camera module described above is incorporated in the second case portion 54 so that the optical lens system 12 is positioned at the position indicated by the broken double circle in the drawing, and when a predetermined button of the operation portion 51 is operated, Imaging is performed and an image is displayed on the display 52. Therefore, the camera module is required to be very small as described above. Further, by operating another predetermined button in the operation unit 51, a zooming operation of the camera module can be performed.

  The camera module according to the embodiment includes the first housing 21 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The first housing 21 opens one side and fixes the subject side in the optical lens system 12 on the opposite side. Based on the lens mounting reference surface 22b and the lens mounting reference surface 22b, an automatic assembly reference point (surface) 23 such as a lens or a lens moving mechanism is provided, and from the open side, from the optical lens holders 33, 34, etc. And a lens moving mechanism including a cylindrical cam 30, gear groups 29a to 29d, and the like. Therefore, it becomes easy to incorporate and adjust the optical lens system 12 and the lens moving mechanism, and can be automated with high accuracy. The first housing 21 also has a certain accuracy on the side where both reference surfaces are present in molding. It can be removed from the direction and can be manufactured at low cost.

  On the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22 as a holding portion in which the optical lens system (not shown in FIG. 2) 12 formed on the base portion (upper surface in FIG. 2) 12 of the first housing 21 is stored, An annular body 22a extending inward in the radial direction, and a plurality of reference surface portions 22b protruding inward in the radial direction are formed on the annular body 22a at predetermined angular intervals (in the illustrated example, three are formed, One of them is hidden), and a notch 22d for allowing the lens holder 34 to enter is provided between the reference surface 22b. Further, in order to position the lens system 12 at the center, a positioning convex portion 22c is provided on the side surface of the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22 so that the position of the lens 36 in the optical axis direction can be determined by the reference surface portion 22b. The position in the center direction is accurately positioned by the positioning convex portion 22c.

  Further, the first housing 21 has a first side wall portion 21a having a thick side wall on the side where the optical lens system 12 is accommodated, and a second side wall portion 21b having a same thickness, and these Both sides of the thick portions 21a and 21b are notched portions 11a and 11b. The base portion on the upper surface in FIG. Is formed. 4, the camera module is brought into contact with an assembly reference surface (not shown) for automatic assembly with the base portion of the first housing 21 facing downward, as shown in FIG. It is used as a reference surface for accuracy in assembling and adjustment, so that the assembly work can be facilitated and automatic assembly itself can be performed very easily.

  Further, a mounting portion 24 on which a lens driving mechanism (not shown in FIG. 4) is mounted is formed in the base portion of the first housing 21 in the vicinity of the opening portion 22. On the outer edge side of 22, first and second bearing hole portions 25 a and 25 b are formed on the side of the notches 11 a and 11 b of the first side wall portion 21 a with an interval of about 180 degrees on the base portion. The mounting portion 24 is formed with third and fourth holes 25c and 25d.

  As shown in the figure, in the first to fourth holes 25a to 25d, for example, one ends of the first to fourth shafts 26a to 26d made of stainless steel are arranged on the upper side of the first housing 21 as indicated by broken line arrows. In the vicinity of the mounting portion 24 of the base portion, a cam mounting portion 27 (cam bearing) to which a later-described cylindrical cam 30 is attached is formed integrally with the housing on the mounting portion 24 of the base portion. A shaft body 28 protruding upward is provided as shown in FIG. These first to fourth shafts 26a to 26d are shortened in the order of reference numerals, and the first and second shafts 26a and 26c are optical lens systems (in FIG. It is used as a guide member for guiding (not shown). A first gear 29a is inserted into the third shaft 26c as indicated by a broken line arrow in FIG. 5, and a second gear 29b is inserted on the first gear 29a of the third shaft 26c. The In addition, a third gear 29c is inserted into the fourth shaft 26d, and the third gear 29c meshes with the first gear 29a. Further, a fourth gear 29d at the final stage for transmitting a driving force to the cylindrical cam 30 is inserted into the shaft body 28, and the fourth gear 29d is engaged with the first gear 29a, and thus the first to first gears 29a are engaged. When the fourth gears 29a to 29d are incorporated, the state shown in FIG. 6 is obtained. That is, in the first housing 21, the bearing portion of the cylindrical cam 30 and the bearing portions of the shafts 26a to 26d through which the gears 29a to 29d that transmit the driving force from the motor 38 that is a driving source to the cylindrical cam 30 are integrated. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a special bearing separately.

  Further, as described above, the shafts 26c and 26d into which the gears 29a to 29c that transmit the driving force to the final gear 29d are made of metal, so that the metal shafts 26c and 26d have a high rotational speed but a small load. Since a small-diameter shaft can be used, a small-diameter gear can be used as a result, and the apparatus can be reduced in size, while mechanical noise can be reduced. The shaft 28 into which the final gear 29d made of resin is inserted does not generate sound due to rotation because the rotation speed of the gear 29d is slow, and since it is made of resin, it may be made thick to ensure strength. There is an advantage of being light weight. Here, only the shaft of the final stage gear 29d is made of resin, but it goes without saying that a plurality of gear shafts near the final stage where the load is applied may be made of resin. Furthermore, by molding this resin shaft integrally with the housing, in this case, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of man-hours for assembling the shaft.

  On the other hand, the cylindrical cam 30 constituting the optical lens system 12 and the lens driving mechanism 13 for focusing and zooming has a configuration as shown in FIGS. That is, the optical lens system 12 includes annular first and second lens bodies 31 and 32, and the lens bodies 31 and 32 are optical lenses held by lens holders (lens holding portions) 33 and 34. (Optical lens group) 35 and 36 are provided. Support arm portions 33a and 33b are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens holder 33 so that the shafts 26a and 26b, which are guide shafts that project radially outward and guide the movement of the lens holder 33 in the optical axis direction, are inserted therethrough. A cam abutting body 33c that abuts on the cylindrical cam 30 is formed. Similarly, on the outer peripheral surface of the lens holder 34, a shaft serving as a guide shaft that projects radially outward and guides the movement of the lens holder 34 in the optical axis direction. Support arm portions 34a and 34b through which 26a and 26b are inserted are formed, and a cam abutting body 34c that abuts on the cylindrical cam 30 is formed, and further shown in the upper and lower sides of FIG. 7 and FIG. 9A. As described above, the lens holder 34 has a notch 22d so as to avoid the protruding reference surface 22b of the annular body 22a provided in the opening 22 of the first housing 21. To allow penetration, also notched portion 34d in the lens holder 34 is provided on. The support arm portions 33b and 34b and the cam contact bodies 33c and 34c have a predetermined angle θ (see FIG. 9B) on the circumference around the optical axis of the lens holder 33, and When the support arm portions 33b and 34b and the cam contact bodies 33c and 34c are projected in the optical axis direction, the support arm portions 33b and 34b are arranged at positions where at least a part thereof overlaps.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the support arm portions 33b and 34b through which the shaft 26b, which is a guide shaft for guiding the movement of the lens holders 33 and 34 in the optical axis direction, are respectively formed in a U-shape and are fitted to each other. As shown above, the upper side of the support arm part 34b is located immediately below the upper support arm part 33b, the lower side of the support arm part 33b is below it, and the lower side of the support arm part 34b is below it. The support arm portions 33b and 34b are configured to have a distance. By doing so, since the distance between the support arm portions 33b and 34b is large, even if a force to move the support arm portions 33b and 34b in the optical axis direction by the cylindrical cam 30 is applied, the lens holders 33 and 34 There is little collapse. Further, the support arm portions 33b and 34b and the cam contact bodies 33c and 34c have a predetermined angle θ on the circumference around the optical axis of the lens holder 33, and the support arm portions 33b and 34b and the cam When the abutting bodies 33c and 34c are projected in the optical axis direction, the cam abutting bodies 33c and 34c and the supporting arm portions 33b and 34b are arranged at positions where at least a part of the abutting bodies 33c and 34c overlaps. The distance from the lens holder axis can be reduced, the camera module can be made compact, and even if a force for moving the supporting arm portion in the optical axis direction by the cylindrical cam is applied, the lens holder can be tilted less. In addition, the short distance from the lens holder axis means that the camera module can be strengthened so much that it can be compact, lightweight, and firmly constructed even if an autofocus (AF) function or a zoom function is incorporated. A portable terminal including a camera module can be provided.

  The cylindrical cam (cam member) 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape formed of metal, resin, resin containing fluorine, and the like, and includes a cylindrical portion 30a and a spiral body 30b formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 30a. The spiral body 30b defines a zoom / focus surface 30c located on the upper side in the drawing and a zoom surface 30d located on the lower side. If the cylindrical cam 30 is formed of resin, it can be made lighter than in the case of metal or the like, and if formed of resin containing fluorine, it can have both lightness, strength, and durability, Moreover, the slidability of the insertion end 30e in contact with the bearing can also be obtained. The optical system of the camera module in this embodiment is a bifocal optical system as an example, and the zoom surface 30d is moved after the second lens body 32 for moving the focus is moved by a predetermined interval by the rotation of the cylindrical cam 30. The cylindrical cam 30 is not moved by the rotation. The zoom / focus surface 30c can be moved for focusing by rotating the cylindrical cam 30 after moving the first lens body 31 by focal movement. When the cylindrical cam 30 and the optical lens system 12 are assembled in the first housing 21, the lower surface side of the cam contact body 33c contacts the focus surface 30c, and the upper surface side of the cam contact body 34c contacts the zoom surface 30d. It will abut. The lens holders 33 and 34 are connected by a spring member 37 and are biased in a direction in which they are attracted to each other. Although not shown, the lens holders 33 and 34 extend to the cylindrical portion 30a of the cylindrical cam 30 in the vertical direction in the figure. For example, the reference line is different in color from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 30a, and is detected by the optical sensor 16 shown in FIG. The position can be detected.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the lens bodies 31 and 32 and the cylindrical cam 30 are assembled in the first housing 21, first, the support arm portion of the second lens body 32 from the upper side of the first housing 21. 34a is incorporated into the first shaft 26a and the support arm 34b is inserted through the second shaft 26b, and then provided from the upper side of the first housing 21 to the outer edge side of the first housing 21. The insertion end 30e of the cylindrical cam 30 is inserted into the cam mounting portion 27 (FIG. 4), the cylindrical cam 30 is mounted on the cam mounting portion 27, and the zoom surface of the cylindrical cam 30 is disposed close to the guide shaft 26b. The cam contact body 34c is brought into contact with 30d. Next, the support arm 33a of the first lens body 31 is assembled into the first shaft 26a and the support arm 33b is inserted into the second shaft 26b from the upper side of the first housing 21, and the cam contact body is assembled. 33c is brought into contact with the zoom / focus surface 30c of the cylindrical cam 30, and finally, the spring member 37 is urged toward the spring-engaging portions of the first lens body 31 and the second lens body 32 so as to attract each other. By doing so, the first and second lens bodies 31 and 32 are moved along the zoom / focus surface 30c and the zoom surface 30d with the rotation of the cylindrical cam 30, and the first and second shafts 26a and 26b. It is possible to move smoothly while being supported by.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lens holder 34 includes an annular body 22 a extending radially inward of the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22 shown in FIG. 3 provided in the first housing 21. Since the notch 34d is provided so as to avoid the reference surface portion 22b protruding radially inward, the lens holder can be brought close to the lens held in the opening 22 and moves with zooming. It is possible to provide a camera module that has a moving distance of 34 and has a sufficient zoom ratio. As shown in FIG. 1, the lens driving mechanism 13 such as the cylindrical cam 30 and the lens holders 33 and 34 has a cover plate 14 as a light shielding member through an opening (notch) 11 a provided in the housing 11. It is exposed before mounting, and at the time of manufacturing the camera module, it is possible to check the appearance of the optical system and check various adjustment accuracy using the opening 11a.

  As shown in FIG. 11, a drive motor (for example, a stepping motor) 38 constituting the lens drive mechanism 13 has a gear 38a attached to the motor shaft, and an opening hole in the second housing 41 with the shaft gear side facing downward. The gear 38a is inserted into the portion 41b and supported by the support surface portion 41a. The gear 38a is disposed on the third gear 29c shown in FIG. 8, and meshes with the second gear 29b. Further, a flexible substrate 40 is attached to the side surface of the drive motor 38 via an attachment portion 39 and pulled out to the outside of the second housing 41. The second housing 41 shown in FIG. The side wall 41c is provided with an opening (notch) 41f for mounting the optical sensor 16 for detecting the reference line provided on the cylindrical cam 30, and the other side of the flexible substrate 40 is connected to the optical sensor 16. The reference line attached to the cylindrical portion 30a of the cylindrical cam 30 can be detected to detect the origin of the cylindrical cam 30, the rotation position or rotation angle, or the rotation amount. The substrate on which the optical sensor 16 is placed also serves as a shielding plate that shields the opening (notch portion) 41f. By doing so, the space can be used effectively without impairing the strength of the housing 11, and the motor is attached at one opening 42, and the rotation position or rotation angle of the cylindrical cam 30 at the other opening 41 f. Alternatively, a camera module that can be mounted with a sensor 16 that detects the amount of rotation, and that can be configured to be compact, lightweight, and robust even when an autofocus (AF) function or a zoom function is incorporated, and a portable terminal equipped with the camera module Can be provided.

  In the camera module of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the final stage gear 29d for transmitting the driving force to the cylindrical cam 30 is inserted into the shaft body 28, and the driving force is transmitted to the final stage gear 29d. The shafts 26c and 26d into which the gears 29a to 29c are inserted are made of metal. By doing so, the metal shafts 26c and 26d have a high rotational speed but a small load, so that a small-diameter shaft can be used. As a result, a small-diameter gear can be used, and the apparatus can be downsized. Mechanical noise can also be reduced. The shaft 28 into which the final gear 29d made of resin is inserted does not generate sound due to rotation because the rotation speed of the gear 29d is slow, and since it is made of resin, it may be made thick to ensure strength. There is an advantage of being light weight. Here, only the shaft of the final stage gear 29d is made of resin, but it goes without saying that a plurality of gear shafts near the final stage where the load is applied may be made of resin. Furthermore, by molding this resin shaft integrally with the housing, in this case, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of man-hours for assembling the shaft.

  In the present embodiment, the drive motor 38 is attached to a second housing (motor holding member) 41 constituting the housing 11 used as a motor base portion as shown in FIG. A cutout (opening) 42 extending in the vertical direction is formed on the side surface of the second housing 41, and the upper end of the cutout 42 is open. Further, the side wall in the vicinity of the notch 42 formed on the side surface of the second housing 41 is thinned, and the width of the notch 42 is smaller than the diameter of the drive motor 38. The length in the depth direction of the second housing 41 on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens holders 33 and 34 is made substantially equal to the sum of the diameter of the cylindrical cam 30 and the diameter of the drive motor 38. is there. Therefore, the driving motor 38 is provided adjacent to the cylindrical cam 30 as a lens moving mechanism.

  Further, the inner surface side of the peripheral edge extending in the vertical direction in the figure of the cutout portion 42 is formed in a cylindrical surface shape, and when the driving motor 38 is placed on the support surface portion 41a, the driving surface is applied to the cylindrical surface. The outer peripheral surface of the motor 38 abuts exactly. Therefore, as shown by the hatched portion in FIG. 12, when the adhesive is applied in advance to the cylindrical surface and the drive motor 38 is incorporated as described above, the drive motor 38 is attached to the second housing 41 by the adhesive. It is firmly bonded and fixed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13, the flexible substrate 40 is pulled out from the upper portion of the second housing 41, and the drawer portion of the flexible substrate 40 is closed by the cover plate indicated by the hatched portion 43 in FIG. 13, The cutout (opening) 42 is closed by a light shielding cover 42a (see FIG. 14).

  By fixing the driving motor 38 in this way, the driving motor 38 is closely contacted with the inner surface side extending in the vertical direction of the cutout portion 42 formed in a cylindrical surface shape and is adhered with high accuracy. There is no need to take parts and costly methods such as screwing or winding a winding plate and fixing it to the main body, as was done with conventional small camera modules. The method can be fixed with high accuracy.

  In the present embodiment, as is apparent from FIG. 14, the motor 38 and the cam 30 are disposed adjacent to the lens bodies 31 and 32 and the lens frame bodies 33 and 34 of the optical system 12 and adjacent to each other. Since the optical axis of the optical system 12 and the axis of the cam 30 are parallel to each other, the optical lens system 12, the motor 38, and the cam 30 can be easily assembled. In the depth direction in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the length of the first casing portion 21 is substantially equal to the sum of the diameter of the cam body 30 and the diameter of the drive motor 38. Can be downsized.

  The first housing 21 and the second housing 41 include a bolt mounting portion having a screw hole 46 provided at a thick corner of the first housing 21, and a thickness in the second housing 41. Together with the bolt holding portion 59 that accommodates female threads as meat, the one side wall 41c (FIG. 11) in the second housing 41 is placed above the one side wall portion 21b (FIGS. 5, 6, and 8) in the first housing 21. The wall portion 44 (FIG. 11) in the second housing 41 and the wall portion 45 (FIGS. 5, 6, and 8) in the first housing 21 are combined and combined. That is, an adhesive is applied to the bonding portion 47 in the first housing 21 and a screw (not shown) is passed through the screw hole 46 shown in FIG. The wall 44 (FIG. 11) and the wall 45 (FIGS. 5, 6, and 8) in the first housing 21 are combined and fixed with bolts, and the adhesive fixing portion 47 rotates around the bolt fixing portion 46. Fix the housing while preventing misalignment of the housing.

  When the first housing 21 and the second housing 41 are combined and fixed in this manner, the substrate on which the CCD shown by 15 in FIG. 1 is mounted is then bonded to the image sensor mounting portions 60a and 60b. The bonding of the substrate on which the CCD 15 is mounted fixes the optical lens system 12 while fixing the housing 11 and moving the substrate on which the CCD 15 is mounted on five axes using, for example, three reference points 47 to 49 in FIG. An image sent through the camera is picked up, the optical axis of the CCD 15 and the optical axis of the optical lens system 12 coincide with each other and an optimum focus position is found, and the first housing 21 and the second housing 41 are combined. When fixed, the adhesive is poured into the adhesive reservoir of the recess 58 formed as shown in FIG. 14, and the substrate on which the CCD 15 is mounted is fixed to the housing 11.

  When the first housing 21 and the second housing 41 are combined and the substrate on which the CCD 15 is mounted is fixed, the cover plate (light shielding member) indicated by 14 in FIG. 1 is connected to the first housing 21 and the second housing. The notch part formed by the housing 41 is attached by an adhesive, and the notch part indicated by 42 and the other notch part (opening) in the attaching part of the drive motor 38 are similar covers. The camera module of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained by being closed by a plate (light shielding member).

  The camera module casing 11 in this embodiment is provided with the notches (openings) 11a and 11b shown in FIG. 2 and the openings 41f and 42 shown in FIG. 12 as described above. As is clear from the above description, each opening has a cover plate 14 (corresponding to 11a2), a substrate on which the optical sensor 16 is mounted (corresponding to 41f), a cover plate 41e (corresponding to 11b), and 42a (corresponding to 42). ), And the cover plate 14 is formed between the first side wall portion 21a and the second side wall portion 21b which are thick in the first housing 21, and the cover plate 41e is formed between the corner portions of the second housing 41. Covered in a state bent at a right angle, the opening 41f and the opening 42 are narrow and the motor 38 is attached to the cover plate 42a (corresponding to 42). There Since cover respectively, sufficient strength is given to the housing 11 by the presence of these covers. Further, since the opening 11a is exposed before the cover plate 14 is attached, it is possible to check the appearance of the optical system and various adjustment accuracy at the time of manufacturing the camera module, and the opening 11b is provided on the lens holders 33 and 34. As described above, the opening 42 is used for mounting the drive motor 38 to check the sliding state. The opening 42 (notch) is used effectively and contributes to the weight reduction of the camera module. ing.

  In the camera module of the embodiment configured as described above, when the drive motor 38 shown in FIG. 11 rotates, the rotation is transmitted from the gear 38a to the cylindrical cam 30 via the gears 29a to 29d in FIG. The rotation of the helical body 30b moves the cam contact bodies 33c and 34c of the first lens body 31 and the second lens body 32, and zooming and focusing are performed as described above. The cylindrical cam 30 detects the reference line attached to the cylindrical portion 30a by the optical sensor 16 so that the origin can be detected. By counting the number of pulses applied to the driving motor 38 such as a pulse motor, The focal length and focus position can be known.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the housing of the camera casing 11 is made of, for example, a resin such as polycarbonate containing fluorine, and the first housing that houses the optical lens system 12 and the lens moving mechanism. 21 and a second housing 41 that holds a substrate on which an image pickup device such as a CCD 15 is mounted. A bolt mounting portion 46 is provided at a substantially corner portion of the first housing 21 with respect to the bolt mounting portion 46. By providing an adhesive fixing portion 47 at a diagonal and substantially corner portion, and fixing the first and second housings with the bolt mounting portion 46 and the adhesive fixing portion 47, the bolt mounting portion 46 is arranged at a position where the thickness of the housing 11 can be taken, but the adhesive fixing portion 47 at the farthest part from the bolt mounting portion does not need to secure the thickness of the housing 11, and the overall size can be reduced. That. In addition, since one point can be firmly fixed with a bolt, and the adhesive fixing portion 47 can be fixed while preventing the housing from being pivoted around the bolt fixing portion 46, the auto focus (AF) function and zoom function can be achieved. It is possible to provide a camera module that is compact, lightweight, and can be firmly configured even when incorporated.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a camera module that is compact, lightweight, and can be firmly configured even when an autofocus (AF) function or a zoom function is incorporated.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the camera module which becomes embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the 1st housing of the housing | casing used with the camera module which becomes embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first housing shown in FIG. 2. It is the perspective view which showed the state which mounts | wears with the shaft in the 1st housing shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state where a gear is mounted on the shaft shown in FIG. 4. It is a perspective view which shows the state after mounting | wearing the gear shown in the shaft shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the optical lens system and cylindrical cam which are integrated in the 1st housing shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the optical lens system and the cylindrical cam shown in FIG. 7 are incorporated in a first housing. It is the top view (A) and bottom view (B) of a lens holder. It is a perspective view when a lens holder is incorporated in the first housing. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd housing with which a drive motor is attached with a flexible substrate. It is a perspective view which shows the state which fixed the drive motor to the outer edge of the notch formed in the 2nd housing. It is a perspective view which shows the state which fixed the drive motor to the outer edge of the notch part formed in the 2nd housing with a flexible substrate. It is a perspective view for demonstrating attachment of CCD. It is a figure which shows roughly an example of the mobile telephone with which the camera module by embodiment was incorporated.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Camera housing 11a Notch part 12 Optical lens system 13 Lens drive mechanism 14 Cover board (light-shielding member)
15 CCD
16 Optical sensor (light emitting element and light receiving element)
26b Second shaft 30 Cylindrical cam 59 Bolt holding portion

Claims (7)

An optical lens group;
A lens moving mechanism for moving a plurality of lenses in the optical lens group in a predetermined direction to change focus adjustment and / or photographing magnification;
First and second housings constituting a housing of the camera module;
A substrate on which an image pickup element is mounted , a lens holding portion for positioning and holding at least a part of the lenses of the optical lens group formed integrally with the first housing, and a first board on which the substrate on which the image pickup element is mounted is attached. An image sensor mounting portion;
A second image sensor mounting portion for mounting a substrate on which the image sensor formed in the second housing is mounted ;
A bolt mounting portion disposed at a corner of the first housing and substantially at a corner;
A bolt holding portion arranged corresponding to the position of the bolt mounting portion in the second housing;
A first adhesion site formed at a substantially diagonal position of the bolt mounting portion with respect to the center of the first housing;
A second adhesion site formed at a position corresponding to the first adhesion site in the second housing;
When the first adhesion part of the first housing and the second adhesion part of the second housing are fixed by adhesion, and the adhesion is performed, the first adhesion part and the second adhesion part are attached to each other. A concave portion that is an adhesive reservoir for adhering the substrate on which the image sensor is mounted is formed at an adjacent location and between the first image sensor attachment portion and the second image sensor attachment portion. camera module characterized in that it is. The bolt holding portion is disposed at a position where the thickness of the second housing can be secured, and the second adhesion portion is disposed at a position where the thickness of the second housing is reduced. 1. The camera module described in 1 . A lens holder that holds the lens of the optical lens group; a cylindrical cam that constitutes the lens moving mechanism that moves the lens holder; and a guide shaft that guides the lens holder;
The said cylindrical cam and the guide shaft and the first and second attachment site, at the outer peripheral portion of the lens holding unit, and, according to claim 1, characterized in that arranged close to the lens holder or 2. The camera module described in 2 . A driving source for applying a driving force to a cylindrical cam disposed in the vicinity of the lens holding portion; and the bolt mounting portion is positioned in proximity to the driving source or the cylindrical cam and separated from the lens holding portion. The camera module according to claim 3 , wherein the camera module is disposed at a position where the camera module is positioned. The cylindrical cam and the guide shaft are arranged at an outer peripheral portion of the lens holding portion and close to the lens holding portion, and a driving source for driving the cylindrical cam is arranged near the outer edge of the first housing. The camera module according to claim 4 , wherein a gear group that transmits a driving force from the driving source to the cylindrical cam is disposed between the driving source and the cylindrical cam. The first housing has a side wall and a notch portion that are open on one side and the lens holding portion is a thick portion, and the second housing is a side wall that has a thick portion on the bolt holding portion side and the first portion. any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that 2 of the thick portion in the first housing adhesion part side as thin and the thick portion of the second housing is provided approximately diagonal positions to each other The camera module described above. A concave portion in which an adhesive reservoir for adhering a substrate on which the imaging element is mounted is formed in the first adhesion portion in the first housing when the second adhesion portion in the second housing is adhered. The camera module according to claim 1, further comprising:

Images