JP7120760B2 - drive mechanism - Google Patents

Description

This application claims priority from US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/438749 filed on December 23, 2016, Chinese Patent Application No. 201711293803.0 filed on December 8, 2017 , all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a drive mechanism, and more particularly to a drive mechanism that uses electromagnetic force to move an optical element.

With the development of technology, cameras are widely used in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers. In order to achieve high image quality of the camera, an electromagnetic drive mechanism is used to quickly adjust the position of the camera lens module, and obtain a clear image by the photosensor. Therefore, it facilitates autofocus and autozoom control of the camera.

Due to the trend of miniaturization of camera lens modules, the size of the driving mechanism is shrinking, so the insufficient structural strength of the driving mechanism may cause damage to the driving mechanism. Therefore, reducing the dimensions of the drive mechanism and providing sufficient structural strength have become important issues.

A drive mechanism is provided for driving an optical element that includes a housing module, a hollow holder, and an electromagnetic drive assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of this, one object of the present invention is to provide a drive mechanism for driving an optical element that includes a housing module, a hollow holder and an electromagnetic drive assembly. A holder is movably arranged in the housing module and accommodates the optical element, the holder having side walls defining a through hole. The electromagnetic drive assembly includes a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element disposed on the holder and exposed inside the holder through the through hole, and the second magnetic element is coupled to the housing module and responsive to the first magnetic element to move the holder relative to the housing module.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a housing module has a cover having a top and a plurality of sidewalls, the top forming an opening extending through at least one of the sidewalls.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the opening has a nearly circular shape and forms a protruding area extending to at least one of the sidewalls.

According to some embodiments of the invention the cover comprises a metallic material.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing module has a polygonal structure and the second magnetic elements are arranged at the corners of the polygonal structure.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the first magnetic element is tangent to an arc along the inner surface of the sidewall.

According to some embodiments of the invention the first magnetic element comprises a magnet or coil.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the first magnetic element includes a coil formed on the FPC and surrounds the holder.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing module has a cover and a base coupled to each other, the cover having a co-molded metal member and plastic body.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the metal member forms rods at the corners of the metal member, and the plastic body has an embedding portion with the rods embedded therein.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the metal member and plastic body are integrally molded by an insert molding process.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing module has a cover and a base coupled together, the cover comprising a metal member, the base comprising a plastic material, and the cover and the base being integrally molded. be.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cover forms rods at the corners of the cover and the base forms recesses in which the rods are embedded.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the cover and base are integrally molded by an insert molding process.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the outer surface of the sidewall forms a recess in communication with the through hole, and the first magnetic element is positioned within the recess.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing module has a base with a protrusion extending along the optical axis of the optical element, the second magnetic element is fixed to the protrusion and the first corresponding to the magnetic element of

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing module has a quadrilateral base with two protrusions extending along the optical axis of the optical element, the protrusions being two diagonal corners of the base. Located in each corner and corresponding to an electromagnetic drive assembly.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the drive mechanism further comprises two springs, the base further has two couplings at the other two corners of the base, the two springs connecting The parts are connected with holders respectively.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the holder includes a metal frame and a plastic body coupled to the metal frame.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first magnetic element is a coil having windings, and the plastic body has a planar support for supporting the windings.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drive mechanism for driving an optical element that includes a cover, a hollow holder, and an electromagnetic drive assembly. The cover has a top and an extension, the top forming an aperture, the extension extending from an inner edge of the aperture along the optical axis of the optical element. A holder is movably disposed on the cover to accommodate the optical element, the holder having a side wall portion forming a through hole, the extension portion being exposed to the inside of the holder through the through hole. The electromagnetic drive assembly includes a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element disposed on the holder, the second magnetic element coupled to the cover, the first magnetic element to move the holder relative to the cover.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the holder further has a top surface and a regulating groove formed on the top surface, the regulating groove communicates with the through hole, and the extension extends into the regulating groove .

For a more complete understanding of the embodiments and their advantages, reference is made to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
1 shows an exploded view of a drive mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the drive mechanism of FIG. 1A; FIG. 1C shows a cross-sectional view along line AA of FIG. 1B; FIG. 1C shows a cross-sectional view along line BB of FIG. 1B. FIG. A cross-sectional view of a portion of coil C tangent to an arc along the arcuate inner surface of sidewall 201 is shown. Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the drive mechanism, according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2B shows a perspective view of the drive mechanism of Figure 2A after assembly; Figure 2B shows a cross-sectional view of the drive mechanism of Figure 2B; Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the drive mechanism, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 3B shows a perspective view of the plastic body 40 and metal member 50 of FIG. 3A. FIG. Figure 3C shows a cross-sectional view of the plastic body 40 and metal member 50 of Figure 3B after assembly; Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the drive mechanism, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 4B shows a perspective view of the cover 10 and base 30 of FIG. 4A. FIG. Figure 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the cover 10 and base 30 of Figure 4B after assembly; Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the drive mechanism, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 5B shows a cross-sectional view of the drive mechanism of FIG. 5A after assembly; FIG. Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the drive mechanism, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 3 shows a perspective view of the two lower springs S2 respectively connected to the two connecting parts 33 of the base 30. FIG. Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of holder 20 and coil C, according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7B shows a perspective view of the holder 20 and coil C of Figure 7A after assembly;

While this invention has been described in relation to various embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention is capable of further modifications. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to include such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the field to which this invention pertains.

In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings to show, by way of example, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terms such as "top", "bottom", "front", "rear" are used with reference to the orientation of the drawings being described. The components of the present invention can be arranged in many different orientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for purposes of description and is in no way limiting.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, FIG. 1A is an exploded view showing a drive mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the drive mechanism of FIG. 1A. 1C is a cross-sectional view along line AA of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view along line BB of FIG. 1B. As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, the driving mechanism is used to drive an optical element such as an optical lens, and mainly includes a cover 10, a hollow holder 20, a base 30, a coil C and at least one upper spring. S1, at least one lower spring S2, and at least one magnet M.

Holder 20 is used to receive an optical element (eg, an optical lens). In this embodiment, the drive mechanism can be located in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone or tablet computer and electrically connected to a circuit unit (not shown) to adjust the position of the optical element. Thus, light rays passing through the optical element can be accurately focused onto an optical sensor (not shown). In some embodiments, the drive mechanism can be a voice coil motor (VCM) that provides autofocus and/or zoom.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, cover 10 and base 30 are coupled together to form a housing module, and holder 20, coil C, upper and lower springs S1 and S2, and magnet M are all located within the housing module. be accommodated. A coil C (first magnetic element) may include a coil formed on an FPC and may surround the holder 20 . In particular, the coil C, the holder 20 and the optical element housed therein are movably connected to the cover 10 and/or the base 30 via upper springs S1 and/or lower springs S2, which are located within the housing module. and is movable along the Z-axis. Here the cover 10 has a polygonal structure and magnets M (second magnetic elements) are fixed at the corners of the cover 10 and correspond to the coils C on the holder 20 .

In this embodiment, the coil C and the corresponding at least one magnet M can constitute an electromagnetic drive assembly. When an electric current is passed through the coil C, a magnetic force is generated between the coil C and the magnet M, driving the coil C, the holder 20 and the optical element therein to move along the Z-axis relative to the housing module. Autofocus and/or zoom can be implemented to allow Note that the positions of coil C and magnet M are interchangeable. That is, the magnet M can be arranged in the holder 20 as a first magnetic element and, correspondingly, the coil C (which may for example be a coil formed on the FPC) is arranged in the cover 10 as a second magnetic element. or can be fixed to the base 30 so that a magnetic force is generated to drive the coil C, the holder 20 and the optical element therein to move along the Z-axis relative to the cover 10 and base 30 can be done.

In order to reduce the dimensions of the driving mechanism along the X and Y directions, the holder 20 of this embodiment has through holes 21 corresponding to the magnets M formed on its sidewalls 201 . As shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the coil C is arranged close to the inner surface of the side wall portion 201, and at least part of the coil C is exposed inside the holder 20 through the through hole 21. . FIG. 1D clearly shows that two sets of through holes 21 on opposite sides of holder 20 define two extension lines L1 and L2. The extension lines L1 and L2 are parallel to the X and Y axes, respectively, which are substantially perpendicular to the optical axis O of the optical element. It should be noted that when viewing the outside from the inside (optical axis O) of the drive mechanism, the extension lines L1 and L2 are extended from the optical axis O and sequentially pass through the optical element, the coil C, and the cover 10. , the coil C and the cover 10 directly face each other with a gap D formed therebetween (FIG. 1D). That is, no magnet is arranged between the coil C and the cover 10 . Since the holder 20 can mount different types of optical elements in a drive mechanism of compact dimensions, the convenience of use and design flexibility is greatly improved. Also, based on the configuration of this embodiment, space utilization can be more efficient, and the dimensions of the coil C and holder 20 along the horizontal direction (XY plane) are also reduced, allowing for miniaturization of the drive mechanism. can be achieved.

In some embodiments, to further reduce the dimensions of coil C and holder 20 along the horizontal direction (XY plane) as much as possible, as shown in FIG. It can touch the circular arc along the inner surface of 201, which facilitates miniaturization of the drive mechanism.

As further shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, the cover 10 has a top portion 11 and four sidewalls 12 . Top 11 forms a substantially circular aperture H, which has at least one protruding region R extending to at least one side wall 12 . It should be noted that the cover 10 of this embodiment may contain metal and have a quadrilateral structure, and the apertures H may be formed by punching. Here, the four protruding regions R are respectively extended to the four side walls 12 along the X, -X, Y, -Y directions, and the cover 10 is not covered by the too short distance between the opening H and the edge of the side wall 12. Insufficient structural strength can be prevented. Miniaturization of the drive mechanism can also be achieved when the dimensions of the cover 10 along the horizontal direction (XY plane) can be effectively reduced.

Figures 2A, 2B and 2C show another embodiment of the drive mechanism. 1A-1D, the holder 20 of this embodiment has at least one through hole 21 and another through hole 22, and the cover 10 has an extension connected to the upper part 11. 101 is about to be formed. Here, extension 101 extends downward (−Z direction) from the inner edge of aperture H along the optical axis of the optical element, partially or completely blocking through-hole 22 . The extending portion 101 is exposed inside the holder 20 through the through hole 22 .

2A, 2B, and 2C, at least one regulation groove 23 is formed in the upper surface of the holder 20 and communicates with the through hole 22. As shown in FIG. It should be noted that the extension 101 is inserted into the restriction groove 23 during assembly. Here, the extending portion 101 can be used as a stopper that abuts against the inner side surface of the regulation groove 23, and the holder 20 can be limited within the movement/rotation range along the horizontal direction (XY plane). Therefore, damage to the drive mechanism and particles generated from the holder 20 due to unintended collision can be prevented.

Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C show another embodiment of the drive mechanism. 1A-1D, the cover 10 of the embodiment of the present invention includes a plastic body 40 and a metal member 50 integrally molded. As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the plastic body 40 forms at least one embedded portion at its corner, and the metal member 50 forms a rod portion 51 corresponding to the embedded portion 41 at its corner. . During the manufacturing process, the rod portion 51 can be pre-formed, then the plastic body 40 is formed over the metal member 50 by insert molding or other plastic forming process, and the rod portion 51 is placed within the embedded portion 41 . (Fig. 3C).

As described above, the cover 10 of this embodiment is substantially composed of the plastic body 40 and the metal member 50. As shown in FIG. It should be noted that the plastic body 40 can be used on the top of the cover 10 instead of the metal material, without the holes H forming the protruding regions R shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. It can have a perfect circular shape. Therefore, the problem of insufficient structural strength of the cover 10 due to too short a distance between the opening H and the edge of the side wall of the cover 10 is effectively avoided.

Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C show another embodiment of the drive mechanism. 3A to 3C is that the base 30 of the present invention is integrally molded with the metal member 50 of the cover 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 4C, the base 30 can comprise a plastic material and form at least one recess 31 at its corners, and the metal member 50 is attached to the recesses 31 at its corners. At least one corresponding rod portion 52 is formed. During the manufacturing process, the rod portion 52 can be pre-formed, then the plastic base 30 is formed over the metal member 50 by insert molding or other plastic forming process, and the rod portion 52 is placed within the embedded portion 31 . (FIG. 4C), and the structural strength between the cover 10 and the base 30 can be effectively improved.

Figures 5A and 5B show another embodiment of the drive mechanism. 1A-1D is that the positions of the coil C and the magnet M are exchanged in this embodiment. That is, the magnet M is arranged in the holder 20 as a first magnetic element, and the coil C (for example, the coil formed on the FPC) is fixed to the base 30 and corresponds to the magnet M as a second magnetic element. In particular, at least one recess 211 is formed in the inner outer surface of the side wall 201 of the holder 20 and communicates with the through hole 21, and the magnet M (first magnetic element) is accommodated in the recess 211 and through the through hole. It is exposed inside the holder 20 via 21 .

In some embodiments, some magnets M may touch an arc along the inner surface of the side wall 201 to further reduce the dimensions of the holder 20 along the horizontal direction (XY plane) as much as possible. facilitating miniaturization of the drive mechanism.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, multiple coils are shown in this embodiment, including coils formed on FPCs respectively disposed on several elongated segments P1 of the flexible circuit board P. can be done. The base 30 also forms a number of protrusions 32 extending along the optical axis of the optical element (Z-direction). During assembly, protrusion 32 can be used as a support structure to support elongated segment P1 of flexible circuit board P mounted thereon. In this arrangement, cracking of the flexible circuit board P can be avoided when an unintended collision occurs, and the entry of particles into the drive mechanism can also be prevented and blocked by the flexible circuit board P.

In some embodiments, a coil C can be arranged in the recess 211 as a first magnetic element and corresponding to the coil a magnet M can be fixed to the base 30 as a second magnetic element. can be done. When a current is passed through coil C, a magnetic force is generated between coil C and magnet M, causing coil C, holder 20, and the optical element therein to move along the Z-axis relative to cover 10 and base 30. so that autofocus and/or zoom can be achieved.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, this embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIGS. 3A to 3D in that only two protrusions 32 are formed at two diagonal corners of the base 30 in this embodiment. and the remaining space can be saved to accommodate other components, such as the lower spring S2. As shown in FIG. 6B, the first ends of the two lower springs S2 can be respectively connected to the connecting parts 33 at two diagonal corners of the base 30, and the first ends of the two lower springs S2 can be connected to the connecting parts 33 respectively. The end and the second end opposite the first end can be connected to the holder 20 (not shown), and the height of the connecting portion 33 is lower than the height of the protrusion 32 . Space utilization is therefore more efficient and a compact drive mechanism can be achieved.

It should be noted that the holder 20 of the embodiments described above can include two or more members of different materials. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in this exemplary embodiment the holder 20 consists essentially of a plastic body 20A and a metal frame 20B. In practice, the metal frame 20B can be pre-formed, and then the plastic body 20A is formed over the metal member 50 by insert molding, or other plastic forming process, to provide sufficient structural strength for the holder 20. ensure that

It should be noted that the coil C (first magnetic element) may comprise a coil formed on FPC and may surround the holder 20 . The coil C is exposed inside the holder 20 through the through hole 21 . 7A and 7B also show that at least one winding C1 of the coil C is arranged in correspondence with the first supporting portion S of the flat plate of the metal frame 20B, and the winding C1 of the drive mechanism can be strongly supported.

As mentioned above, the through holes 21 need to be formed on the holder 20 in order to further reduce the dimensions of the holder 20 along the horizontal direction (XY plane) as much as possible. For at least this reason, the holder 20 is constructed by a plastic body 20A and a metal frame 20B, which not only improves its mechanical strength, but also improves the electromagnetic force generated by the magnet M and the coil C. The through-hole 21 can also be covered with a flexible and annular coil C to prevent particle ingress and adhesive overflow through the through-hole 21 .

While the present invention has been described by way of example and preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it covers various modifications and similar arrangements obvious to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims should be given their broadest interpretation to include all such modifications and similar arrangements.

10 Cover 11 Upper part 12 Side wall 101 Extension part 20 Hollow holder 20A Plastic body 20B Metal frames 21, 22 Through hole 211 Recess 23 Regulating groove 201 Side wall part 30 Base 31 Embedded part 32 Protruding part 33 Connecting part 40 Plastic body 41 Embedded part 50 Metal Members 51, 52 Rod portion C Coil C1 Winding portion D Gap H Openings L1, L2 Extension line M Magnet O Optical axis P Flexible circuit board P1 Segment R Protruding region S Support portion S1 Upper spring S2 Lower spring

Claims (8)

A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
the housing module has a cover having a top and a plurality of side walls, the top defining an opening extending through at least one of the side walls;
the hollow holder includes a metal frame and a plastic body coupled to the metal frame;
The drive mechanism, wherein the first magnetic element is a coil having a winding portion, and the metal frame has a flat support portion for supporting the winding portion. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
the housing module has a cover having a top and a plurality of sidewalls, the top defining an opening extending through at least one of the sidewalls;
the housing module has a cover and a base connected to each other, the cover having a metal member and a plastic body integrally molded;
The driving mechanism, wherein the metal member forms a rod portion at a corner of the metal member, and the plastic body has an embedded portion in which the rod portion is embedded. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
the housing module has a cover having a top and a plurality of sidewalls, the top defining an opening extending through at least one of the sidewalls;
The housing module has a cover and a base connected to each other, the cover comprising a metal member, the base comprising a plastic material, the cover and the base being integrally molded,
The driving mechanism, wherein the cover forms rods at the corners of the cover and the base forms recesses in which the rods are embedded. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
the housing module has a cover having a top and a plurality of side walls, the top defining an opening extending through at least one of the side walls;
The housing module has a quadrilateral base with two protrusions extending along the optical axis of the optical element, the protrusions being arranged at two diagonal corners of the base, respectively. Compatible with the drive assembly,
Further comprising two springs, the base further having two connecting parts at the other two corners of the base, the two springs respectively connecting the connecting parts with the hollow holder for driving mechanism. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
the hollow holder includes a metal frame and a plastic body coupled to the metal frame;
The drive mechanism, wherein the first magnetic element is a coil having a winding portion, and the metal frame has a flat support portion for supporting the winding portion. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
the housing module has a cover and a base connected to each other, the cover having a metal member and a plastic body integrally molded;
The driving mechanism, wherein the metal member forms a rod portion at a corner of the metal member, and the plastic body has an embedded portion in which the rod portion is embedded. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
The housing module has a cover and a base connected to each other, the cover comprising a metal member, the base comprising a plastic material, the cover and the base being integrally molded,
The driving mechanism, wherein the cover forms rods at the corners of the cover and the base forms recesses in which the rods are embedded. A driving mechanism for driving an optical element,
housing module,
a hollow holder movably arranged in the housing module containing the optical element and having side walls forming a through hole; and
a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element being disposed on the hollow holder and exposed to the inside of the hollow holder through the through hole; a magnetic element including an electromagnetic drive assembly coupled to the housing module for moving the hollow holder relative to the housing module in response to the first magnetic element;
The housing module has a quadrilateral base with two protrusions extending along the optical axis of the optical element, the protrusions being arranged at two diagonal corners of the base, respectively. Compatible with the drive assembly,
Further comprising two springs, the base further having two connecting parts at the other two corners of the base, the two springs respectively connecting the connecting parts with the hollow holder for driving mechanism.

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