KR100863797B1 - Camera module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera module.

Camera module of the present invention, the barrel extending upwardly formed housing; At least one lens laminated in the housing; An indentation ring which is in close contact with the lower surface of the lens and is individually press-fitted into the barrel, and has a support portion extended downward; A substrate through which a lower end of the support part of the press-fit ring penetrates into the lower part of the housing; And an image sensor mounted on the lower portion of the substrate by a flip chip method, wherein productivity is increased by assembling a camera module without additional focus adjustment, and design of a tooth structure by screwing is excluded during injection molding of the housing. As a result, the injection property is easy, and the effect of lowering the raw material price by reducing the mold manufacturing cost is exerted.

Housing, Board, Fixing Hole, Image Sensor, IR Filter, Lens

Description

Camera module

1 is an assembled perspective view showing a state of assembly of a conventional COF camera module.

2 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the conventional COF-type camera module cut.

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional COB type camera module.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional COB camera module.

5 is an assembled perspective view of the camera module according to the present invention, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module according to the present invention

7 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the camera module according to the present invention

8 is a plan view of a substrate employed in the camera module according to the present invention

9 is a cross-sectional view showing the position and shape of the IR filter employed in the camera module according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

110. Housing 120. Substrate

122. Fixing hole 130. Image sensor

140.IR filter L. lens

The present invention relates to a camera module that can be assembled without focusing, and more particularly, a support portion extended from a press-fit ring for fixing a plurality of lenses stacked in a barrel-integrated housing is mounted directly on an upper surface of an image sensor through a substrate. It relates to a camera module to omit the focusing process when assembling the module.

Currently, portable terminals such as mobile phones and PDAs have recently been used as multi-function multi devices equipped with music, movie, TV, and game functions as well as simple telephone functions with the development of the technology.

The camera module is one of the leading examples of the multifunctionality of the portable terminal, and the main product of such a camera module is changed from the existing 300,000 pixels (VGA class) to the high pixels of several million pixels. At the same time, various additional functions such as auto focusing (AF) and optical zoom are changing to be implemented.

In general, a compact camera module (CCM) is a small size and is applied to various IT devices such as a camera phone, a PDA, a smart phone, and a portable mobile communication device. The market is gradually increasing the number of devices equipped with camera modules.

Such a camera module is manufactured using an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS as a main component, and collects an image of an object through the image sensor and stores it as data in a memory in the device, and the stored data is stored in the LCD or PC in the device. The image is displayed through a display medium such as a monitor.

A typical camera module is typically manufactured by a method such as a chip on board (COB), a chip on flexible (COF), and the brief structure with reference to the drawings shown below.

1 is an assembled perspective view illustrating a state of assembling a camera module of a conventional COF method, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the camera module of a conventional COF method.

As shown in the drawing, the conventional camera module 1 includes a housing 2 in which an image sensor 3 for converting an image signal input through a lens into an electrical signal is supported on a bottom thereof, and the image sensor 3 of the subject. The lens group 4 for collecting the video signal and the barrel 5 in which the lens group 4 is stacked in multiple stages are constituted by a sequential combination.

At this time, a mounting substrate (FPCB) 6 having a capacitor and a chip component of resistance, which is an electrical component for driving the image sensor 3 made of CCD or CMOS, is attached to the lower portion of the housing 2. ) Is electrically coupled.

The conventional camera module 1 configured as described above has an anisotropic film (ACF: Anisotropic film) between the substrate 6 and the image sensor 3 in a state where a plurality of circuit components are mounted on the mounting substrate FPCB 6. Conductive Flim (8) is inserted and adhesively fixed so as to be energized by applying heat and pressure, and the IR filter 7 is attached to the opposite side.

Further, as described above in the state in which the barrel 5 in which the plurality of lens groups 4 are built and the housing 2 are temporarily coupled by screwing, the pre-assembled mounting substrate 6 is placed on the bottom of the housing. It is adhesively fixed by a separate adhesive.

On the other hand, after fixing the mounting substrate 6 to which the image sensor 3 is attached and the housing 2 to which the barrel 5 is coupled, the subject (resolution chart) is placed at a predetermined distance in front of the barrel 5. The focus adjustment of the camera module 1 is performed by adjusting the vertical feed amount by the rotation of the barrel 5 screwed to the housing 2, thereby adjusting the lens group 4 and the image sensor ( 3) focusing is performed.

In this case, the distance of the subject is approximately 50 cm at an infinite distance from the focus adjustment is made, and after the final focus is adjusted by injecting an adhesive between the housing 2 and the barrel 5 in the focused state Adhesive is fixed.

However, in order to adjust the focus of the image on which the barrel 5 on which the lens group 4 is mounted is assembled with the housing 2 and the image sensor 3, the barrel 5 screwed to the housing 2 is left. When the roller is rotated and vertically transferred, foreign substances such as particles generated by friction between the screw coupling portion of the housing 2 and the barrel 5 fall to the upper surface of the IR filter 7 or the image sensor 3. There is a disadvantage in that a foreign material defect occurs as it is exposed on the light receiving area of the image sensor 3.

In addition, an assembly criterion of the mounting board 6 and the housing 2 is determined by the IR filter 7, and the IR filter 7 is the center of the image sensor 3 and the lens group 4. It plays an important role to fit, depending on the mounting position of the IR filter (7) has a great influence on the foreign matter.

That is, the closer the mounting position of the IR filter 7 is to the image sensor 3, the more foreign matter dropped on the upper surface of the IR filter 7 is easily recognized, and conversely, the farther the IR filter 7 is from the image sensor 3. As the influence on the foreign material becomes less sensitive, a camera module design is required to properly maintain the distance between the IR filter 7 and the image sensor 3.

On the other hand, Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a view showing a camera module manufactured in a COB method, Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional COB type camera module, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional COB type camera module In the conventional camera module 10, the printed circuit board 11 having the CCD or CMOS image sensor 12 mounted by a wire bonding method is coupled to a lower portion of the housing 13 made of plastic and extends above the housing 13. The lens barrel 16 is extended by the cylindrical body 15 is extended to the lower barrel 14 is manufactured by coupling.

The camera module 10 has a housing 13 and a lens barrel 16 formed by screwing a female screw portion 14a formed on the inner circumferential surface of the barrel 14 and a male screw portion 15a formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 15. Combined.

In this case, an IR filter 18 is formed between the upper surface of the printed board 11, that is, the lens L mounted on the lower end of the lens barrel 16 and the image sensor 12 attached to the lower surface of the printed board 11. ) Is combined to block infrared rays of excessive long wavelengths flowing into the image sensor 12.

In the camera module assembled as described above, light flowing from a specific object passes through the lens L and the image is inverted to focus on the surface of the image sensor 12. While rotating the lens barrel 16, the adhesive is injected into the gap between the housing 13 and the lens barrel 16 at the point where the optimum focus is achieved, and the housing 13 and the lens barrel 16 are adhesively fixed to the end. Camera module products are produced.

As described above, two types of COB and COF camera module assembly methods commonly include barrels 5 and 16 inserted through upper openings of the housings 2 and 13 to form arms on the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of each member. And vertically coupled by screwing using a male thread, and the lens L in the barrels 5 and 16 by height adjustment by rotation of the barrels 5 and 16 at the upper ends of the housings 2 and 13. Focus adjustment is performed between the image sensors 3 and 12 mounted on the printed circuit boards 6 and 11.

Therefore, the conventional camera module manufactured by the above-described assembly method, when the housing (2) 13 and the barrel (5) 16 is vertically coupled, when the female and male threads are engaged at the wrong angle, the screw thread is crushed or It is pointed out that the assembly properties such as foreign matter defect due to the generation of fine particles as the joining portion is worn by the friction of the male and female threads, significantly degraded.

In addition, particles generated between the housings 2 and 13 and the lens barrels 5 and 16 rotate the lens barrels 5 and 16 mounted on the housings 2 and 13 to adjust the focus. As the housing (2) 13 shakes left and right, particles generated at the joining portion of the housing (2) (13) and the lens barrel (5) (16) become the top surface or image of the IR filter (7) (18). There is a disadvantage in that it must be introduced into the light receiving area of the sensor (3) (12) to act as a defect in reproducing the image through the image sensor 12.

As the housings 2 and 13 and the barrels 5 and 16 are screwed together, the helix angle formed in the barrels 5 and 16 when the barrels 5 and 16 are rotated along the contact surface of the spiral. As a result, tilt of the lens may occur.

In addition, the conventional camera module assembled in this manner has the housing (2) 13 and barrel (B) for optimum matching performance and torque management of the barrel (5) (16) and the housing (2) (13). 5) (16) has the disadvantage that the thread heights and angles of the female and male threads formed on the inner and outer circumferential surfaces thereof are accurate, thus making injection difficult and increasing the manufacturing cost.

In order to solve such a problem, a camera module structure using a barrel-integrated housing has been proposed. As described in Korean Patent No. 408614 and Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-84470, it is possible to assemble without a separate focus adjustment. A camera module structure is disclosed.

The camera module structure is such that an optical element having an imaging lens portion, that is, a lower end portion of the housing passes directly through the opening of the substrate to be seated directly on the upper surface of the image sensor, or a lens support portion extended from a lens laminated inside the housing. It is structured to be directly seated on the upper surface of sensor.

However, the conventional camera module as described above does not describe the technical configuration or the coupling structure between the optical element and the substrate so that the optical axis is matched while the substrate does not move when the optical element is seated on the image sensor. The technical configuration of the support extending below the lens has a problem that is difficult to realize in reality.

Accordingly, the present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages and problems in the conventional camera module, wherein the support portion extending from the press-in ring for supporting the lens stacked in the housing in which the barrel is integrally formed is an upper surface of the image sensor. An object of the present invention is to provide a camera module that can be assembled by the camera module can be completed without a separate focus by directly seated on the.

The object of the present invention, the housing is formed with a barrel extending upward, at least one lens laminated in the housing, the press-fit ring is in close contact with the lower surface of the lens and the support is extended to the lower portion, the support of the press-in ring The camera module includes a substrate penetrated and tightly coupled to a lower portion of the housing, and an image sensor mounted to a lower portion of the substrate by a flip chip method.

The barrel extending to the upper portion of the housing is a plurality of lenses stacked therein are grouped and individually fixed by the indentation ring, the indentation ring is made of an elastic material is tightly coupled to the lower surface of each lens.

In this case, the press-fit ring for supporting and fixing the lower periphery of the lowermost lens of the press-fit ring has at least three or more support parts extending downward from the inner circumferential surface.

The press-fit ring penetrates through a portion of the substrate including the flexible printed circuit board, and is seated on the upper surface of the image sensor tightly coupled to the bottom of the substrate, and the substrate passes through the support portion of the press-fit ring. In close contact with the lower end of the housing.

The support part of the press-fit ring is supported outside the light receiving part formed on the upper surface of the image sensor flip-bonded to the substrate.

In addition, an IR filter is attached to an upper surface of the substrate to cover the light receiving unit formed in the image sensor and to block infrared light having a long wavelength incident through the lens group.

At this time, the IR filter is formed to have a size that can be coupled through the support portion extending from the press-in ring or seated on the upper surface of the substrate inside the support portion.

In addition, the support part of the press-fit ring is directly seated on the upper surface of the image sensor so that the camera module is assembled without a separate focus adjustment process between the image sensor and the lens, so that the predetermined focal length of the lens mounted in the housing when the camera module is designed It is preferable that it is formed in the length corresponding to.

In the camera module according to the present invention, the assembly of the camera module is completed only by the vertical coupling of the housing in which the barrel is integrally formed on the substrate where the image sensor is flip chip bonded, and the lower inner wall of the housing is directly seated on the upper surface of the substrate. At the same time, a support portion extending downward from the lowermost press-fit ring holding the lens in the housing penetrates the substrate and directly contacts the upper surface of the image sensor, thereby completing the assembly of the camera module, wherein the image sensor is flip chip bonded. An adhesive is applied between the edge of the finished substrate and the inner bottom wall of the housing to harden the bond between the housing and the substrate.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, an image sensor is flip chip bonded to a bottom surface of a substrate including a flexible printed circuit board, and an IR filter is adhesively fixed on the top surface of the substrate to cover the light receiving area of the substrate.

Next, the barrel-integrated housing, in which a plurality of lenses are intimately adhered to each other by a press-fit ring, is closely bonded to the upper surface of the substrate. At this time, a support portion extending downward from the lowermost press-fit ring in the housing passes through any point outside the light receiving area of the substrate to be in contact with the upper surface of the image sensor.

Then, an adhesive is applied to the upper surface and side surfaces of the lower surface of the housing in contact with the inner wall surface of the housing and hardened by applying heat.

Matters relating to the operational effects including the technical configuration of the camera module according to the present invention will be clearly understood by the following detailed description with reference to the drawings showing preferred embodiments of the present invention.

First, Figure 5 is an assembled perspective view of the camera module according to the present invention, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module according to the present invention.

As shown, the camera module 100 of the present invention is coupled to the housing 110, the barrel 111 is integrally extended to the top, the lower end of the housing 110, the image sensor 130 is flip chip It is composed of a bonded substrate 120.

The housing 120 is laminated at least one lens (L) in multiple stages in the interior of the housing 110, including the interior of the barrel 111 extending upward, and supports the lower edge of each lens (L) A press-fit ring 112 is interposed between the lens L and the lens L.

The press-fit ring 112 press-fits and fixes the lens L stacked in the barrel 111, and serves to adjust the distance between the lenses L, and to adjust the lowermost lens L in the barrel 111. Fixing press-fit ring 112 is configured in the form of an annular ring and a plurality of support portions 113 are formed extending directly below the inner circumferential surface.

At this time, the support portion 113 extends downward at least three or more from the inner circumferential surface of the press-in ring 112, preferably in order to ensure that the press-in ring 112 is supported horizontally and stable downwardly from all four sides of the inner circumference. It consists of four support parts 113.

The lower surface of the housing 110 is closely coupled to the substrate 120 having the light receiving region 121 formed at the center thereof, and the substrate 120 is exposed so that the light receiving portion 131 is exposed through the light receiving region 121. The image sensor 130 is tightly coupled by a flip chip method.

The housing 110 is vertically coupled to the upper surface of the substrate 120. In the state where a plurality of lenses L and a press-fit ring 112 for fixing them are stacked therein, the edge portion and the housing of the substrate 120 are stacked. The bottom inner wall of the 110 is in close contact with each other, and the optical sensor of the image sensor 130 mounted on the bottom surface of the substrate 120 and the lens L are coupled to each other.

On the other hand, the pressing ring 112 for fixing the lens (L) in the interior of the housing 110 mounted on the substrate 120 has a support portion 113 extending directly below the upper surface of the image sensor 130. Contact is supported. In this case, the lower end of the support part 113 penetrates through the fixing hole 122 formed outside the light receiving area 121 of the substrate 120 and is seated on the upper surface of the image sensor 130.

As the fixing hole 122 is formed outside the light receiving region 121 of the substrate 120, the lower end of the support part 113 inserted through the fixing hole 122 is outside the light receiving unit 131 of the image sensor 130. Ensure that the image is avoided from being imaged.

In addition, a glass-shaped IR filter 140 is bonded and fixed to an upper portion of the light receiving region 121 of the substrate 120, and the IR filter 140 is configured in a conventional rectangular or quadrangular shape to form the press-fit ring 112. It is installed to be located on the inner side of each support portion 113 extending to the bottom of.

The IR filter 140 is long-wavelength in the light flowing into the light-receiving portion 131 of the image sensor 130 exposed on the light-receiving region 121 perforated on the substrate 120 and exposed through the light-receiving region 121. Will block infrared light.

In this case, each of the IR filter 140 and the substrate 120 extends downward from the press-in ring 112 for fixing the lowermost lens L stacked in the housing 110. At the same time as the side is supported, the lower end of the support part 113 is coupled through and fixed to the lower part of the housing 110 without distortion of the optical axis.

That is, when a plurality of lenses L and a press-fit ring 112 for fixing the stack 120 are stacked on top of the substrate 120 to cover the housing 120 in which the barrel 111 is integrally extended. The support part 113 extending from the lowermost press-in ring 112 in the housing 120 is seated on the image sensor 130, thereby allowing the lens L and the image sensor 130 to be referenced based on the image sensor 130. The focus is fixed without a separate focusing process.

The length of the support 113 of the press-fit ring 112 seated directly on the surface of the image sensor 130 while fixing the lens L stacked in the housing 110 corresponds to the focal length of the camera module to be assembled. The extension length of the support part 113 is designed differently for each pixel or type in the assembly design of the camera module.

On the other hand, an adhesive is applied on the edge of the substrate 120 and the applied adhesive is cured by heat curing or UV irradiation in the state interposed between the edge portion and the lower inner wall of the housing 110, thereby the substrate ( 120 and the housing 110 is tightly coupled.

Next, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the camera module according to the present invention, the housing 110 is a combination of a plurality of lenses (L) and the press-in ring 112 in the image sensor 130 is In the housing 110, each corner portion of the IR filter 140 covered by the upper surface of the substrate 120 in a state in which the technical configuration of being tightly fixed to the upper surface of the flip chip bonded substrate 120 is the same as the above embodiment. By passing through the support part 113 extending downward from the lowermost press-fit ring 112, the camera module 100 is assembled without additional focus adjustment.

This ensures that the four corners of the IR filter 140 and the substrate 120 are simultaneously penetrated by the support 113 to prevent the image sensor 130 and the IR filter 140 from being skewed about the optical axis. To do this.

8 is a plan view of a substrate employed in the camera module according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the substrate 120 includes a light receiving region 121 in which a light receiving unit 131 of the image sensor 130 is exposed at a central portion thereof. In this punched state, as shown in FIG. 8A, a fixing hole 122 is drilled outside the edge of the light receiving region 121, or an extension hole 122 ′ connected to the edge of the light receiving region 121 is illustrated in FIG. 8B. Is formed.

Both the fixing hole 122 and the extension hole 122 ′ are for allowing the lower end of the support part 113 of the press-fit ring 112 mounted inside the housing 110 to be tightly coupled to the upper part of the substrate 120. will be.

Next, Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the position and shape of the IR filter employed in the camera module according to the present invention.

The camera module 100 of the present invention includes an IR coating layer 150a serving as an IR filter between each lens L in the housing 110, as shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C, respectively. IR filter 150b in the form of a film is configured to be selectively interposed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9A, an IR coating layer 150a may be formed on a bottom surface of the uppermost lens L. In this case, the IR coating layer 150a may be formed by a low temperature deposition method, or the IR coating layer 150a. The surface to be formed is formed on a surface having a large radius of curvature among the upper and lower surfaces of the lens L so that infrared rays of incident light through the lens L can be efficiently blocked.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C, the IR filter 150b having a relatively thin film form is disposed between the lens L and the lens L spaced apart by the press-in ring 112, or the upper cover of the housing 110. It is inserted and inserted in the same position as glass.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention described above are disclosed for the purpose of illustration, and various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope without departing from the spirit of the present invention for those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It will be possible, but such substitutions, changes and the like should be regarded as belonging to the following claims.

As described above, the camera module of the present invention has a support portion extended from the press-in ring for supporting the lens stacked in the barrel-integrated housing directly seated on the upper surface of the image sensor, productivity by assembly of the camera module without additional focus adjustment This is improved, and the injection design is facilitated by eliminating the design of the coupling structure by screwing during the injection molding of the housing, and the effect of lowering the raw material price by reducing the mold manufacturing cost is exerted.

Claims (8)

A housing in which the barrel extends upwardly; At least one lens laminated in the housing; An indentation ring which is in close contact with the lower surface of the lens and is individually press-fitted into the barrel, and has a support portion extended downward; A substrate through which a lower end of the support part of the press-fit ring penetrates into the lower part of the housing; And An image sensor mounted below the substrate; Camera module comprising a. The method of claim 1, The press-fit ring is a camera module, characterized in that at least three or more support portions are formed extending directly below the inner circumferential surface of the press-fit ring for supporting the lens of the lowermost side in the barrel. The method of claim 1, The support part of the press-fit ring, the camera module, characterized in that the contact is supported outside the light receiving portion of the upper surface of the image sensor flip-chip bonded to the lower surface through the substrate. The method of claim 3, The support part is a camera module, characterized in that the lower end is penetrated through the fixing hole formed outside the light receiving area of the substrate and seated on the upper surface of the image sensor. The method of claim 1, The substrate, the camera module, characterized in that the extension hole is formed in the corner of the light receiving area of the central portion. The method of claim 5, And the substrate has an IR filter attached to an upper surface thereof, the IR filter covering the light receiving region. The method of claim 6, The IR filter is a camera module, characterized in that each corner is supported inside the plurality of support portions extending downward from the press-in ring, or the lower end of the support portion is coupled to each corner portion. The method of claim 6, The IR filter is a camera module, characterized in that an IR coating layer which serves as an IR filter on one surface of each lens of the lens in the housing, or an IR filter in the form of a film is interposed between each lens in the housing. .

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