KR20130024410A - Lens barrel assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A body tube assembly is provided to improve accuracy of lens position control. CONSTITUTION: A body tube assembly(10) includes a rotating tube(20), a driving unit(60), a protrusion unit(21), a first sensing unit(30), a magnetic scale(25), a second sensing unit and a cut-off wall unit(50). The rotating tube is installed in the inner side of the body tube to rotate around the body tube and includes a guide hole. The driving unit is arranged in the body tube and generates a rotational force rotating the rotary tube. The protrusion unit is outwardly protruded from the rotating tube. The first sensing unit is arranged in the body tube to sense the protrusion unit. The magnetic scale is extended along the circumference direction in the outer surface of the rotating tube and is arranged. The second sensing unit is connected with the body tube to face the magnetic scale and senses the magnetic scale. The cut-off wall unit is interposed in the region between the first sensing unit, the second sensing unit and the driving unit and is extended along the circumference direction to cut off the driving unit from the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit.

Description

Lens barrel assembly

Embodiments relate to a barrel assembly, and more particularly to a barrel assembly with improved precision in lens position control by blocking the ingress of dust.

Digital photographing devices such as cameras and camcorders have the function of adjusting the focus or zoom by moving the position of an optical element such as a lens. Auto focusing (AF) is a function that focuses by automatically adjusting the position of the lens without user intervention. To achieve auto focus or zoom adjustment, the position of the lens must be precisely adjusted.

In order to control the position of the lens in the digital photographing apparatus, the position of the lens must also be accurately detected. However, in recent technologies that implement auto focusing (AF) or zoom functions using motors driven by electrical signals, dust generated from motors or mechanical structures driven by motors is attached to the sensing sensor. There is a problem that the precision is lowered.

Patent document 1 is a technique for driving a lens using an ultrasonic motor, and wear occurs between the motor and the frame because the ultrasonic motor is in contact with the frame supporting the lens. In addition, dust caused by wear is attached to the sensor for detecting the position of the structure to rotate the lens, there is a problem that the accuracy is lowered.

JP 2000-056207 A, 2000.02.05.

It is an object of embodiments to provide a barrel assembly with improved precision in lens position control.

Another object of the embodiments is to provide a barrel assembly capable of precisely sensing the rotational position of the structure for moving the lens.

It is still another object of the embodiments to provide a barrel assembly capable of minimizing the effect of dust that may occur on the drive that moves the lens on the position sensing performance of the rotating structure.

The barrel assembly according to one embodiment includes a barrel, a rotating barrel disposed inside the barrel so as to be rotatable with respect to the barrel, and having a guide hole, a drive unit disposed in the barrel to generate a rotational force for rotating the rotating barrel; A projection projecting outward from the traditional, a first sensing portion disposed in the barrel to sense the projection, a magnetic scale disposed extending in the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the rotating cylinder, and connected to the barrel facing the magnetic scale, A second sensing unit for sensing a magnetic scale and an area between the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit and the driving unit and extending along the circumferential direction to block the driving unit from the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit; It has a blocking wall.

The protrusion may extend along the circumferential direction of the rotating cylinder.

The first sensing unit may be disposed in an area through which the protrusion passes as the rotating cylinder rotates, and may include an optical sensor that emits light toward the protrusion and generates a signal as light is blocked or reflected by the protrusion.

The first sensing unit may be spaced apart in the circumferential direction along a region through which the protrusion passes, and a plurality of first sensing units may be disposed.

The outer end of the blocking wall can be coupled to the barrel.

The protrusion may extend along the circumferential direction of the rotating cylinder, and the magnetic scale may be disposed on the opposite side of the blocking wall about the protrusion.

The inner end of the blocking wall portion may be connected to a support cylinder extending along the circumferential direction to surround the outside of the rotating cylinder.

The support cylinder may have a long hole extending a predetermined distance along the circumferential direction, and the protrusion may protrude out of the support cylinder through the long hole.

The magnetic scale may be exposed to the outside of the support through the long hole, the second sensing unit may be disposed on the outer edge of the long hole to detect the magnetic scale exposed through the long hole.

The driving unit is a vibrating unit that vibrates when an electrical signal is applied, an input unit which is rotatably disposed inside the barrel in contact with the vibrating unit, and rotates by the vibration of the vibrating unit, and connects the input unit and the rotating cylinder to receive the rotational force transmitted by the input unit. It may be provided with a transmission for decelerating and transmitting to the rotating cylinder.

In the barrel assembly according to the embodiments as described above, the area in which the drive unit for rotating the rotary cylinder is disposed and the area in which the detection unit for detecting the rotation of the rotary cylinder are disposed are blocked from each other by the blocking wall. As a result, dust that may be generated in the driving unit does not flow into the detection unit, so that the performance of detecting the position of the rotating cylinder can be stably maintained, thereby improving the precision of lens position control.

1 is a side cross-sectional view of a barrel assembly according to one embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the barrel assembly of FIG. 1;
3 is a perspective view illustrating the rear surface of the barrel assembly of FIG. 1 by omitting some components.
4 is a perspective view of a sensor flange mounted to the barrel assembly of FIG. 1. FIG.
5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an arrangement of a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit mounted to the barrel assembly of FIG. 1.
6 is a perspective view of some components omitted from the barrel assembly 3;

Hereinafter, with reference to the embodiments of the accompanying drawings, the configuration and operation of the barrel assembly according to the embodiments will be described in detail.

1 is a side cross-sectional view of a barrel assembly according to one embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the barrel assembly in FIG.

The barrel assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a barrel 10, a rotating cylinder 20 rotatable with respect to the barrel 10, and a driving unit for generating a rotating force for rotating the rotating cylinder 20 ( 60, the protruding portion 21 protruding from the outer side of the rotating tube 20, the first detecting portion 30 detecting the protruding portion 21, and extending along the circumferential direction to the outer surface of the rotating tube 20. And the magnetic scale 25 disposed thereon, the second sensing unit 40 sensing the magnetic scale 25, the area in which the first sensing unit 30 and the second sensing unit 40 are disposed, and the driving unit 60. ) And a blocking wall portion 50 disposed between them.

The barrel assembly is mounted on the camera to receive an image of a subject and to form an image for photographing on an image pickup device of the camera. The barrel assembly may be detachably mounted to the camera, or may be manufactured integrally with the camera.

The barrel 10 of the barrel assembly is a portion that performs a function of supporting other components, and is manufactured in a cylindrical shape with an empty inside. The barrel 10 may be made of a metal material such as plastic or aluminum. Lenses 101, 102, and 103 are disposed along the optical axis L in the barrel 10. Mounting flange 11 for coupling with the camera is formed at the rear of the barrel 10 in the optical axis (L) direction.

The rotating cylinder 20 is disposed inside the barrel 10. 1 and 2, the rotating cylinder 20 is divided into a front portion 20a and a rear portion 20b along the optical axis L to denote a sign. The rotating cylinder 20 is rotatable about the optical axis L inside the barrel 10 and includes a guide hole 20c extending along the circumferential direction and the optical axis direction.

The driving unit 60 is disposed in the barrel 10 and functions to generate a rotational force for rotating the rotating cylinder 20. The driving unit 60 is an oscillating unit 70 which vibrates when an electric signal is applied, and an input unit which is disposed in contact with the vibrating unit 70 to be rotatable inside the barrel 10 to rotate by the vibration of the vibrating unit 70. And a transmission unit 90 which connects the input unit 80 and the rotary cylinder 20 to reduce the rotational force transmitted by the input unit 80 and transmit the decelerated force to the rotary cylinder 20.

The vibrator 70 includes a vibration generator 71 that generates repetitive vibration when an electric signal is applied, a stator 72 coupled to the vibration generator 71, and a rotor coupled to an end of the stator 72. (73) is provided.

The vibration generator 71 may be a stacked piezoelectric element manufactured by stacking a plurality of electrodes or may be implemented as a single layer piezoelectric element. When the alternating current is applied, the vibration generator 71 generates vibration in accordance with the driving waveform of the applied current.

Since the vibrator 70 is mounted to the motor support 75 fixed to the barrel 10, the vibrator 70 is fixed to the barrel 10 even while an electric signal is applied to the vibrator 70 to vibrate. State can be maintained.

An input unit 80 is disposed at the front end of the rotor 73. The input unit 80 is formed in a ring shape and is rotatable about the optical axis L within the barrel 10.

A fixing cylinder 5 is disposed between the barrel 10 and the rotating cylinder 20 within the barrel 10. The fixing cylinder 5 is fixed to the barrel 10.

The moving part 7 which supports the moving lens 107 is arrange | positioned inside the rotating cylinder 20 so that the optical axis L can move back and forth along a direction. The cam projection 7a of the moving part 7 passes through the guide hole 20c of the rotating cylinder 20 and extends in the straight groove (not shown) formed in the fixing cylinder 5 so as to extend along the direction of the optical axis L. Combined. Therefore, as the rotary cylinder 20 rotates about the optical axis L, the rotational force of the rotary cylinder 20 is transmitted to the cam protrusion 7a inserted into the guide hole 20c of the rotary cylinder 20. As the rotational force is transmitted through the cam protrusion 7a, the moving unit 7 may move in the direction of the optical axis L along a straight groove (not shown) of the fixing cylinder 5.

The transmission unit 90 functions to connect the input unit 80 and the rotary cylinder 20 to reduce the rotational force transmitted from the input unit 80 and transmit the decelerated force to the rotary cylinder 20. The transmission unit 90 may transmit the driving force generated in the vibrator 70 to the rotating cylinder 20, or transmit the rotating force generated by the manual operation ring 2 to the rotating cylinder 20.

The driving force and the rotational force are similar to each other because they refer to the force that causes the ring-shaped components to rotate. Hereinafter, the driving force and the rotational force are automatically generated by applying an electric signal to the vibrator 70. The force for operating the conveying device of the optical element is called driving force, and the force for operating the conveying device of the optical element by the user manually operating the manual operation ring 2 was distinguished as the rotational force.

Since the transmission unit 90 and the rotary cylinder 20 are connected by the connection key 20d, the rotational motion of the transmission unit 90 is transmitted to the rotary cylinder 20. The transmission part 90 is provided with components, such as reduction gears 8a and 8b and transmission rings 9a and 9b which are in contact with the reduction gears 8a and 8b and which rotate in motion by frictional force. The transmission unit 90 decelerates the force transmitted from the input unit 80 to a low speed force, and then transmits the force of the reduced speed to the rotating cylinder 20.

Protruding portion 21 is formed to protrude from the outside of the rotary cylinder (20). In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 21 is protruded to the outside of the sensor flange 200 coupled to the outside of the rotary cylinder 20 is formed in the circumferential direction. However, the barrel assembly of the embodiment is not limited by the configuration of the protrusion 21, and the protrusion 21 may be directly formed on the outer wall surface of the rotary cylinder 20.

The sensor flange 200 is coupled to the outer wall of the rotating cylinder 20 via the flange base 201 attached to the outer wall of the rotating cylinder 20. The sensor flange 200 may rotate about the optical axis L integrally with the rotary cylinder 20.

3 is a perspective view illustrating the rear surface of the barrel assembly of FIG. 1 by omitting some components, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sensor flange mounted to the barrel assembly of FIG. 1, and FIG. A perspective view schematically showing the arrangement of the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit.

The first sensing unit 30 is disposed in a region through which the protrusion 21 passes as the rotating cylinder 20 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) rotates. The first sensing unit 30 is disposed in the barrel 10. The first sensing unit 30 may include an optical sensor including a light emitting unit (not shown) for emitting light and a light receiving unit (not shown) for receiving a light and generating a signal. The first detector 30 emits light toward the protrusion 21 to generate a signal as light is blocked by the protrusion 21.

The embodiment is not limited by the configuration of the first sensing unit 30, and is configured as an optical sensor that emits light toward the protrusion 21, receives light reflected from the protrusion 21, and emits a signal. It may be.

The first detection unit 30 detects a signal generated by blocking light by the protrusion 21 as the protrusion 21 rotates, thereby detecting a current position of the rotating cylinder 20. That is, the first detector 30 detects the absolute position of the rotating cylinder 20 rotating about the optical axis L (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

The first sensing unit 30 may include a plurality of sensors spaced apart in the circumferential direction along an area through which the protrusion 21 passes. That is, the first detection unit 30 is located at an intermediate distance from the first sensor 31 that detects the origin position of the protrusion 21 corresponding to the wide-angle end where the lenses are arranged so as to photograph the subject in the closest range. A second sensor 32 that detects the position of the protrusion 21 corresponding to the intermediate end where the lenses are arranged to suit a photographing subject, and a light source stage where the lenses are arranged to photograph a subject at a distance. It is provided with a third sensor 32 for detecting the maximum movement position of the protrusion 21 corresponding to.

The magnetic scale 25 is arranged on the opposite side of the blocking wall 50 about the protrusion 21. The second sensing unit 40 for sensing the magnetic scale 25 is also disposed on the opposite side of the blocking wall 50 about the protrusion 21. Due to such a configuration, the area in which the first sensing unit 30 and the second sensing unit 40 are disposed may be completely blocked from the driving unit 60 by the blocking wall 50. Therefore, dust generated in the driving unit 60 may be prevented from flowing into the first sensing unit 30 or the second sensing unit 40.

1 and 2, a blocking wall 50 is disposed between an area in which the first sensing unit 30 and the second sensing unit 40 are disposed and the driving unit 60. The blocking wall part 50 extends along the circumferential direction to block the driving part 60 from the first sensing part 30 and the second sensing part 40.

The outer end 51 of the blocking wall 50 is coupled to the barrel 10. And the inner end 50b of the blocking wall part 50 is connected to the support cylinder 52 extended along the circumferential direction so that the outer side of the rotating cylinder 20 may be enclosed.

6 is a perspective view of some components omitted from the barrel assembly 3;

FIG. 6 shows a supporting cylinder 52 connected to one end 51 of the blocking wall 50 and the other end 50b of the blocking wall 50.

The support cylinder 52 is provided with the long hole 53 extended a predetermined distance along the circumferential direction. The protrusion 21 protruding from the outside of the rotary cylinder 20 protrudes out of the support cylinder 52 through the long hole 53. The distance that the long hole 53 extends in the circumferential direction is a distance enough to guide the protrusion 21 to move in the circumferential direction.

5 and 6, the magnetic scale 25 is disposed extending in the circumferential direction so as to correspond to the outer surface of the rotating cylinder 20 on the side of the protrusion 21. The magnetic scale 25 is exposed to the outside of the support 52 through the long hole 53 of the support 52, the second sensing portion 40 is bolted to the edge 52a of the outside of the long hole 53 Connected by 52b.

The magnetic scale 25 may be manufactured by magnetizing the magnetic material at a fine pitch or by arranging a plurality of magnets in succession. As the rotating cylinder 20 rotates, the magnetic scale 25 also rotates, so that the position in the circumferential direction of the magnetic scale 25 to which the second sensing unit 40 is directed changes.

The second sensing unit 40 may be implemented by using a magnetic sensor that detects a change in magnetic property that changes according to the movement of the magnetic scale 25. An example of a magnetic sensor is a magneto-resistive sensor that can read a magnetic pattern.

The second sensing unit 40 includes a flexible circuit board 40a that transmits a signal generated by reading a magnetic pattern of the magnetic scale 25 to the circuit board of the barrel assembly.

When the rotating cylinder 20 rotates with respect to the barrel 10, the second detection unit 40 detects an amount of movement of the rotating cylinder 20 and changes the position of the rotating cylinder 20 relative to the barrel 10. Can be detected.

For example, as the rotary cylinder 20 rotates, the first sensor 31 is operated by the protrusion 21 to detect that the rotary cylinder 20 is at a wide-angle end, which is the origin position. While the rotary cylinder 20 continues to rotate even after the first sensor 31 detects that the rotary cylinder 20 is at the home position, the second detection unit 40 reads the magnetic pattern by the magnetic scale 25 to signal the signal. Occurs. Therefore, the number of pulses of the signal generated from the second sensing unit 40 can detect how much the protrusion 21 of the rotating cylinder 20 has rotated after passing through the origin position.

The above-described devices include a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data to be executed by the processor, a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, a touch panel, a key, a button, and the like. And a user interface device. Methods implemented with software modules or algorithms may be stored on computer-readable non-transitory recording media as computer-readable codes or program instructions executable by the processor. The computer-readable recording media may include magnetic storage media (e.g., read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical read media (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD) (DVD: Digital Versatile Disc)). The computer readable recording medium can be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The medium is readable by a computer, stored in the memory, and can be executed by the processor.

All documents, including publications, patent applications, patents, and the like cited in the invention, may be incorporated into the invention in the same manner as each cited document individually and specifically merged or as collectively represented in the invention.

For the sake of understanding of the invention, reference numerals are used in the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings and specific terms are used for describing the embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to the specific terminology, And may include all elements that are commonly conceivable.

The invention can be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. Such functional blocks may be implemented in various numbers of hardware or / and software configurations that perform particular functions. For example, the invention may employ integrated circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look up table, etc., which may execute various functions by the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Can be. Similar to what the components of the invention can be implemented in software programming or software elements, the invention includes various algorithms implemented in C, C ++, Java (data structures, processes, routines or other combinations of programming constructs). It may be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as Java), an assembler, or the like. The functional aspects may be implemented with an algorithm running on one or more processors. The invention can also employ prior art for electronic configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism", "element", "means", "configuration" can be used widely and are not limited to mechanical and physical configurations. The term may include the meaning of a series of routines of software in conjunction with a processor or the like.

The specific acts described in the invention are, by way of example, not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. For brevity of description, descriptions of conventional electronic configurations, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of such systems may be omitted. Also, the connections or connecting members of the lines between the components shown in the figures are illustrative of functional connections and / or physical or circuit connections, which may be replaced or additionally provided by a variety of functional connections, physical Connection, or circuit connections. In addition, unless specifically mentioned, such as "essential", "important" may not be a necessary component for the application of the invention. As used herein, the phrases "comprising", "including", etc. are used to be understood in terms of the open end of the technology.

In the specification of the invention (particularly in the claims), the use of the term " above " and similar indicating terms can be used in the singular and the plural. Also, in the case where a range is described in the present invention, it is to be understood that the present invention includes inventions to which individual values belonging to the above range are applied (unless there is contradiction thereto) . Finally, the steps may be performed in any suitable order, unless explicitly stated or contrary to the description of the steps constituting the method according to the invention. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the description sequence of the above steps. The use of all examples or exemplary language (e.g., etc.) in this invention is for the purpose of describing the invention in detail and is not to be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention, It is not. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

2: manual operation ring 50b: inner end
5: fixing tube 50: blocking wall
7: moving part 51: outer end
7a: cam protrusion 52b: bolt
10: barrel 52a: edge
11: mounting flange 52: support cylinder
8a, 8b: Reduced port 53: Long hole
9a, 9b: transfer ring 60: drive part
20c: guide hole 70: vibration part
20d: connection key 71: vibration generating unit
20a: front part 72: stator
20: rotating cylinder 73: rotor
20b: rear portion 75: motor support
21: protrusion 80: input
25: magnetic scale 90: transfer section
30: first sensing unit 107: moving lens
31: first sensor 200: sensor flange
32: sensor 201: flange base
40a: flexible circuit board 101, 102, 103: lens
40: second sensing unit L: optical axis

Claims (10)

Barrel pain;
A rotating cylinder disposed inside the barrel so as to be rotatable with respect to the barrel and having a guide hole;
A driving unit disposed in the barrel to generate a rotational force for rotating the rotary cylinder;
A protrusion protruding outwardly of the rotary cylinder;
A first detector disposed on the barrel to detect the protrusion;
A magnetic scale extending along the circumferential direction on an outer surface of the rotating cylinder;
A second sensing unit connected to the barrel to face the magnetic scale and sensing the magnetic scale; And
A blocking wall part disposed between an area in which the first sensing part and the second sensing part are disposed and the driving part and extending along the circumferential direction to block the driving part from the first sensing part and the second sensing part; A barrel assembly provided. The method of claim 1,
And the protrusion extends along the circumferential direction of the rotatable barrel. The method of claim 2,
The first sensing unit is disposed in an area through which the protrusion passes as the rotating cylinder rotates, and includes an optical sensor that emits light toward the protrusion to generate a signal as light is blocked or reflected by the protrusion, Barrel assembly. The method of claim 3,
And a plurality of first sensing parts spaced apart in the circumferential direction along an area through which the protrusion passes. The method of claim 1,
And an outer end of the blocking wall portion is coupled to the barrel. The method of claim 5,
And the projection extends along the circumferential direction of the rotating cylinder, and the magnetic scale is disposed on the opposite side of the blocking wall portion about the projection. The method according to claim 6,
An inner end of the blocking wall portion is connected to the support barrel extending in the circumferential direction so as to surround the outside of the rotating barrel. The method of claim 7, wherein
The support cylinder has a long hole extending a predetermined distance along the circumferential direction,
And the protrusion protrudes out of the support barrel through the long hole. 9. The method of claim 8,
The magnetic scale is exposed to the outside of the support through the long hole,
And the second detector is disposed at an outer edge of the long hole to sense the magnetic scale exposed through the long hole. The method of claim 1,
The driving unit is connected to the vibrating unit vibrating when an electrical signal is applied, the input unit which is rotatably disposed in the interior of the barrel in contact with the vibrating unit and rotated by the vibration of the vibrating unit, by connecting the input unit and the rotating cylinder to the And a transmission unit for reducing the rotational force transmitted by the input unit and transmitting the deceleration force to the rotating cylinder.

Images