WO2021040232A1

WO2021040232A1 - Camera actuator and compact camera comprising same

Info

Publication number: WO2021040232A1
Application number: PCT/KR2020/009279
Authority: WO
Inventors: 이병철; 김동국
Original assignee: 자화전자(주)
Priority date: 2019-08-29
Filing date: 2020-07-15
Publication date: 2021-03-04
Also published as: KR20210026212A

Abstract

Disclosed are a camera actuator for implementing auto-focus and zoom functions, and a compact camera comprising same. The camera actuator according to the present invention comprises: a housing having, between first and second side walls that face each other, a space divided into two by a partition; an optical unit provided in a first accommodation space, partitioned between the first side wall and the partition, so as to rectilinearly move in an optical axis direction; a driving body provided in a second accommodation space, partitioned between the second side wall and the partition, so as to rectilinearly move in the optical axis direction; a magnetic circuit unit including a driving coil provided on a wall surface that partitions the second accommodation space, and a driving magnet coupled to the side surface part of the driving body so as to face the driving coil; and a rotary link for linkably connecting the optical unit and the driving body, wherein the rotary link rotates on a planar surface, that is parallel to an optical axis according to the motion of the driving body, around a pivot point coupled to the top of the partition with a hinge structure, and on the basis of the pivot point, distance (D1) to an output point where one side of the rotary link is connected to one surface of the optical unit with a cam structure differs from distance (D2) to an input point where the other side of the rotary link is connected to one surface of the driving body with a cam structure.

Description

Camera actuator and small camera containing the same

The present invention relates to a camera actuator, and more particularly, to a camera actuator that implements zoom or auto focusing by moving an optical unit including an optical system in an optical axis direction, and a small camera including the same.

In accordance with the development of hardware technology and changes in user environments, various and complex functions in addition to basic functions for communication are integrated in portable terminals (mobile terminals) such as smartphones. A typical example is a camera module with functions such as auto focus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OIS).

Recently, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, and iris recognition functions for authentication and security are also installed in portable terminals, and a zoom in which a plurality of lens groups are assembled so that the focal length of the subject can be adjusted more precisely and finely. Lens mounting is also being attempted.

In the case of a zoom lens, unlike a general lens, a plurality of lenses or lens groups are arranged in the optical axis direction, which is the direction in which light is introduced, and the length in the optical axis direction is longer than that of a general lens. Therefore, when a zoom lens is mounted on a mobile terminal in the same manner as a general lens (a method that is installed in a vertical direction on a substrate), more space is required corresponding to a height difference from a general lens.

Therefore, a conventional small camera equipped with a zoom lens has a problem in that it is difficult to meet the demands for device miniaturization and weight reduction of portable terminals. In addition, since small cameras including a conventional zoom lens applied to a portable terminal directly drive an optical system composed of a zoom lens using a magnetic circuit, there is a disadvantage in that there is a limitation in extending the driving range of the optical system.

The driving range of the optical system is one of the key factors that have a decisive influence on the zoom performance of the camera. In order to expand the driving range of the optical system, it is necessary to secure a space in which the optical system can move, as well as the expansion of a component that generates a driving force to move the optical system in the direction of the optical axis, and a magnetic circuit generally composed of a coil and a magnet. Because.

[Prior technical literature]

[Patent Literature]

(Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1978946 (announced on May 15, 2019)

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that it is possible to sufficiently increase the displacement width of the optical system (the range of the stroke in the optical axis direction of the optical system) without expanding the magnetic circuit, and thus, a camera actuator of a new driving method capable of remarkably improving the zoom performance, and It is intended to provide a small camera including this.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a camera actuator having a configuration capable of meeting the demand for miniaturization and weight reduction of a small camera equipped with a zoom lens, and a small camera including the same.

According to an aspect of the present invention as a means of solving the problem,

A housing in which the space between the opposed first sidewalls and the second sidewalls is divided into two by a partition wall;

An optical unit installed in a first accommodation space partitioned between the first sidewall and the partition wall so as to be linearly moved along the optical axis direction;

A driving body installed in a second accommodation space partitioned between the second sidewall and the partition wall so as to be linearly moved along the optical axis direction;

A magnetic circuit unit comprising a driving coil installed on a wall surface partitioning the second accommodation space and a driving magnet coupled to a side surface of the driving body to face the driving coil; And

Includes; a rotation link for interlocking the optical unit and the drive body to be interlocked,

The rotation link is pivoted on a plane parallel to the optical axis according to the movement of the driving body around a pivot point coupled in a hinge structure at the top of the partition wall,

Distance (D1) from the pivot point to an output point in which one side of the rotation link is connected to one surface of the optical unit in a cam structure and the distance to an input point in which the other side of the rotation link is connected to one surface of the driving body in a cam structure. (D2) provides different camera actuators.

Here, since D1 is larger than D2, when the driving body is displaced in the optical axis direction by the magnetic circuit unit, the optical unit may be displaced to a greater width than the driving body.

In addition, a first yoke is installed on the first sidewall so that the optical unit can stably linearly move along the optical axis direction while being in close contact with the first sidewall, and the side surface of the optical unit facing the first sidewall A first magnet may be installed to face the first yoke.

In addition, at least two Hall sensors that detect the position of the first magnet using a Hall effect and generate and output a corresponding signal may be provided on the side of the first yoke at equal intervals along the optical axis direction.

In addition, a camera actuator according to an aspect of the present invention,

A pair of first ball driving units configured to guide linear motion of the optical unit with respect to the housing in the optical axis direction between the optical unit and the first sidewall; And

It may further include a pair of second ball driving units for guiding the linear motion of the driving body in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing between the driving body and the second side wall.

Here, the first ball driving unit may include a first fixing rail formed at an upper and a lower portion of the first sidewall along an optical axis direction, and an optical axis direction at an upper and lower side of the optical unit at a position corresponding to the first fixing rail. It may be composed of a first movable rail that is elongated along the way, and one or more first balls interposed between the first fixed rail and the first movable rail corresponding to each other to face each other.

In addition, the second ball driving unit has a second fixed rail formed at each of the upper and lower portions of the second sidewall along the optical axis direction, and the upper and lower side surfaces of the driving body at a position corresponding to the second fixed rail are elongated along the optical axis direction. It may be composed of a formed second movable rail, and one or more second balls interposed between the second fixed rail and the second movable rail corresponding to each other to face each other.

In addition, the optical unit includes a carrier installed in the first accommodation space to enable linear movement in the direction of the optical axis and a first magnet coupled to a side portion facing the first sidewall, and a plurality of carriers coupled to the receiving hole in the center of the carrier. It may be composed of a lens barrel for accommodating a lens group composed of lenses.

According to another aspect of the present invention as a means of solving the problem,

A zoom lens unit including at least one camera actuator according to the above-described aspect;

A reflectometer for changing a path of light incident through the opening and making it incident on the optical unit of the zoom lens unit; And

It provides a small camera including; an image sensor module that receives the light passing through the optical unit and outputs image information corresponding to the received light.

Here, the zoom lens unit may have a configuration in which two camera actuators having the same configuration are arranged in series along an optical axis direction.

Preferably, in order to implement a more precise and detailed autofocus control and a high magnification zoom function, it is preferable that the two camera actuators are individually operated under individual control of a drive chip.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a new driving method of an indirect driving method of driving the optical unit in the direction of the optical axis by amplifying the movement of the driving body with a rotating link is not a method in which the magnetic circuit directly drives the optical unit as in the prior art By being applied, the driving range of the optical unit can be greatly extended without expansion of the magnetic circuit, so that the zoom performance of the camera can be remarkably improved.

In addition, since the magnetic circuit operates the optical unit with a larger width compared to the distance from which the driving body is operated, it has the advantage of high driving efficiency, and a structure that can greatly increase the driving range of the optical unit without expanding the magnetic circuit. Therefore, it is advantageous in terms of energy efficiency as it can reduce the size and weight of the camera, as well as reduce power consumption compared to the conventional direct drive method.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a camera actuator according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera actuator shown in FIG. 1 in which the cover is omitted.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the camera actuator shown in Fig. 2;

4 is a front view of the camera actuator shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the optical axis direction.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the camera actuator shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from a line A-A.

6A and 6B are enlarged views of each of the first ball driving unit and the second ball driving unit shown in Fig. 5;

7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation of a camera actuator according to an aspect of the present invention.

8 is a perspective view of a small camera including the camera actuator according to the above-described aspect.

9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the operation of the small camera shown in FIG. 8.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

The terms used in the specification are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the present specification, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or a combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features or It is to be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof does not preclude the possibility of preliminary exclusion.

In addition, terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component.

In addition, terms such as "... unit", "... unit", and "... module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software. I can.

In the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same drawing reference numerals are assigned to the same components, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. In the following description, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the following description of the present invention, for convenience of explanation, it will be described using a three-axis coordinate system, but in the drawings, the X axis is defined as the optical axis direction, the Z axis is a direction perpendicular to the X axis, which is the optical axis direction, and the Y axis is It will be described by defining it as a direction orthogonal to the X-axis on the coplanar plane.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a camera actuator according to an aspect of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a combined perspective view illustrating the camera actuator shown in FIG. 1 with a cover omitted. And FIG. 3 is a plan view of the camera actuator shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the camera actuator shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the optical axis direction. In addition, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the camera actuator shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the line A-A.

1 to 5, a camera actuator 30 according to an aspect of the present invention includes a housing 31. The housing 31 has a first side wall 310 and a second side wall 314 extending at right angles from both ends of the bottom part 316 and the bottom part 316 and facing each other, and is perpendicular to the bottom part 316. And a space between the first side wall 310 and the second side wall 314 may be divided into two by a partition wall 312 parallel to the first side wall 310 and the second side wall 314.

The cover 32 is coupled to the housing 31 from the top. Accordingly, a component accommodation space divided into two spaces by the partition wall 312 is formed between the housing 31 and the cover 32, and the first side wall 310 and the partition wall 312 of the two accommodation spaces The optical unit 33 is installed in the first accommodation space 311 partitioned between, and the driving body 34 is in the second accommodation space 313 partitioned between the second sidewall 314 and the partition wall 312, which are the remaining accommodation spaces. ) Is installed.

The optical unit 33 and the driving body 34 are installed to be linearly moved along the optical axis direction within a predetermined range in the receiving space, and a driving magnet (D/M) is coupled to the side of the driving body 34 do. In addition, a driving coil (D/C) is disposed on a wall that partitions the second accommodation space 313 so as to correspond to the driving magnet (D/M), and a driving yoke (D/C) is disposed behind the driving coil (D/C). Y) is installed.

The driving coil D/C may be preferably installed on the second side wall 314 facing the side portion of the driving body 34 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, but is not limited thereto. Although not shown, the driving coil D/C may be configured to be disposed on the partition wall 313 or the bottom portion 316.

When the driving coil (D/C) is disposed on the partition wall 313, the driving magnet (D/M) may be configured on the side of the driving body 34 facing the partition wall 313, and the bottom part 316 When the driving coil (D/C) is configured, a driving magnet (D/M) may be installed on the lower surface of the driving body 34 facing the driving coil (D/C).

The driving magnet (D/M) and the coil corresponding to each other constitute a magnetic circuit unit 35 that generates a driving force for zoom or auto focus. As a preferred example, the driving coil (D/C) may be mounted on a flexible circuit board (FPCB) disposed in the opening of the second side wall 314, and the driving coil (D/C) is The driving force is generated by the interaction between the generated electric field and the magnetic field of the driving magnet (D/M).

The driving body 34 and the optical unit 33 to which the driving magnets (D/M) are coupled are installed to be movable in the optical axis direction in the first accommodation space 311 and the second accommodation space 313, respectively, and the first , The optical unit 33 and the driving body 34 installed to be linearly moved in the optical axis direction in each of the

second accommodation spaces

311 and 313 are interlocked with each other through a rotation link 38. More specifically, they are connected to perform linear motion in directions opposite to each other through the rotation link 38.

Accordingly, the driving coil D/C is magnetized with power applied from the outside, and a driving force is generated by an interaction between the magnetized driving coil D/C and the driving magnet D/M. Due to the generated driving force, the driving body 34 makes a linear motion in the direction and width corresponding to the direction and size in which the power is applied in the second accommodation space 313, and the rotation link 38 is applied to the driving body 34. The connected optical unit 33 performs a linear motion in a direction opposite to the motion of the driving body 34 in the first accommodation space 311.

According to the movement of the optical unit 33 as described above in the first accommodation space 311, the image sensor module 5 (see FIG. 9), which will be described later, disposed behind the optical unit 33 along the optical axis direction, and the The distance between the optical units 33 is adjusted. That is, the optical unit 33 corresponding to the movable body is moved away from the image sensor module 5, which is a fixed body, or conversely, moving in a direction close to the image sensor module 5, thereby implementing zoom or automatic focus control.

The optical unit 33 includes a carrier 330 and a lens barrel 332. The carrier 330 is disposed to be movable in the optical axis direction in the first accommodation space 311 and includes a magnet mounting portion (not shown) to which a first magnet M, which will be described later, is coupled to one side portion. In addition, the lens barrel 332 is coupled to a receiving hole in the center of the carrier 330 and accommodates a lens group composed of a plurality of lenses. In this case, each of the lenses may have optical characteristics such as the same or different focal length and refractive index.

The light passing through the optical unit 33 is captured by the image sensor module 5 disposed behind the optical unit 33 based on the moving direction of the light, as mentioned above. The image sensor module 5 includes a substrate and an image sensor 50 (see FIG. 9) mounted on the substrate 52 (see FIG. 9), wherein the image sensor 50 passes through the optical unit 33. Image information is collected from light, and the collected image information is output to the outside through the substrate 52.

A first yoke Y may be installed in the opening of the first sidewall 310. In addition, a first magnet M may be installed on a side portion of the optical unit 33 facing the first side wall 310 so as to face the first yoke Y. The first yoke (Y) and the first magnet (M) is a force that pulls each other, the attractive force acts, and accordingly, the optical unit 33 is in close contact with the first side wall 310 of the housing 31. It can perform a stable linear motion along the optical axis direction without shaking or shaking.

The Hall sensor H/S may be mounted on a flexible circuit board FPCB disposed between the first yoke Y. At least two Hall sensors H/S may be mounted at equal intervals along the optical axis direction. The Hall sensor (H/S) detects the position of the first magnet (M) by using a Hall effect and generates and outputs a corresponding signal, and a drive chip (not shown) is a Hall sensor (H/S). ) To determine the size and direction of power to be supplied to the driving coil D/C by recognizing the position of the optical unit 33 in the optical axis direction.

That is, the drive chip recognizes the exact position of the optical unit 33 based on the direction of the optical axis from the signal output from the Hall sensor (H/S), and applies it to the driving coil (D/C) based on the recognized position information. The drive chip determines a control value including the size and direction of the power source, and the zoom and auto focus functions are implemented by controlling the position of the optical unit 33 in the direction of the optical axis with the determined control value. .

In the camera actuator 30 according to an aspect of the present invention, a linear motion of the optical unit 33 relative to the housing 31 in the optical axis direction between the optical unit 33 and the first side wall 310 can be stably implemented. The linear motion of the driving body 34 in the optical axis direction with respect to the housing 31 between the first ball driving part 36 and the driving body 34 and the second side wall 314 to be guided so that it can be smoothly and stably implemented. It may include a second ball driving unit 37 to guide.

6A is an enlarged view of the first ball driver shown in FIG. 5.

The first ball driving part 36 is formed at the upper and lower portions of the first sidewall 310 in the optical axis direction and has a U-shaped or V-shaped ball groove having a first fixed rail 360, and a first fixed rail ( A first movable rail (364) and a first movable rail (364) having a U-shaped or V-shaped ball groove formed at the upper and lower sides of the optical unit 33 at a position corresponding to 360 in the direction of the optical axis. ) And the first fixed rail 360 may include one or more first balls 362 interposed therebetween.

Here, the first ball 362 is disposed in a form in which a part thereof is accommodated in the ball groove of the first fixed rail 360, and the other part is disposed in a form accommodated in the ball groove of the first movable rail 364. When the first movable rail 364 moves relative to the first fixed rail 360 due to the linear motion of the optical unit 33 in the optical axis direction, rolling motion between these rails causes the Linear motion of the optical unit 33 can be implemented smoothly and stably.

6B is an enlarged view of the second ball driving unit shown in FIG. 5.

The second ball driving unit 37 is formed at the upper and lower portions of the second side walls 314 in the optical axis direction and has a U-shaped or V-shaped ball groove having a second fixed rail 370 and a second fixed rail ( The second movable rail 374 and the second movable rail 374 are formed long along the optical axis direction at the upper and lower sides of the drive body 34 at a position corresponding to the 370 and have a U-shaped or V-shaped ball groove. ) And the second fixed rail 370 may be formed of one or more second balls 372 interposed between them.

Here, the second ball 372 is also partially disposed in a form accommodated in the ball groove of the second fixed rail 370, and the other part is disposed in a form accommodated in the ball groove of the second movable rail 374. When the second movable rail 374 moves relative to the second fixed rail 370 due to the linear motion of the driving body 34 in the optical axis direction, rolling motion between these rails causes the housing 31 to be moved. Linear motion of the driving body 34 can be implemented smoothly and stably.

On the other hand, the above-described rotation link 38, which connects the optical unit 33 and the driving body 34 in a mutually interlocking manner, is a plate-shaped rod structure extending in the Y-axis direction, and the driving body 34 ) Side is coupled to the upper portion of the partition wall 312 in a hinge structure, and one side and the other side are respectively one side of the optical unit 33, preferably the upper surface of the optical unit 33 and the driving body ( It is connected by a cam

structure including camshafts

380 and 382 and

slits

335 and 345 on each of the upper surfaces of 34).

More preferably, the slits (335, 345) smoothly linearly move the driving body (34) and the optical unit (33) in the optical axis direction as the rotation link (38) rotates around the pivot point (P). It may be a long hole formed long in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, that is, in the Y axis direction of FIG.

Accordingly, as shown in the operational conceptual diagram of FIG. 7, when the driving body 34 linearly moves in the optical axis direction by the above-described driving force, the rotation link 38 is a pivot point P coupled to the top of the partition wall 312 in a hinge structure. ) Centered on a plane parallel to the optical axis (the XY plane in the drawing) and rotated in a clockwise/counterclockwise direction within a predetermined range, and the optical unit 33 connected to the other side of the rotation link 38 in a cam structure is a driving body ( 34) and moves in the opposite direction.

In an embodiment of the present invention, based on the pivot point P, a distance D1 from one side of the rotation link 38 to the output point H1 connected to the upper surface of the optical unit 33 in a cam structure, and The distance D2 from the other side of the rotation link 38 to the input point H2 connected to the upper surface of the driving body 34 in a cam structure is formed differently from each other. Preferably, D1 may be formed larger than D2.

If D1 is greater than D2, when the driving body 34 is displaced in the optical axis direction by the magnetic circuit unit 35, the optical unit 33 may be displaced to a larger width than the driving body 34. That is, if D1 is greater than D2, the movement of the driving body 34 is amplified by the rotation link 38 and transmitted to the optical unit 33, so that the movement of the driving body 34 is larger than the distance moved in the optical axis direction. The optical unit 33 moves in the direction of the optical axis.

For example, when D1 is twice as large as D2 (D1 = 2D2), when the driving body 34 moves 3mm in the direction of the arrow shown in the operation conceptual diagram of FIG. 7 by the driving force generated by the magnetic circuit unit 35, the With the rotation of the rotation link 38 about the pivot point P at a position eccentric from the center toward the driving body 34, the optical unit 33 is approximately in a direction opposite to the direction in which the driving body 34 moves. It will move about 6mm.

Of course, this is only an example for explaining the operating concept of the camera actuator 30 applied to the present invention, but does not mean that D1 is limited to a case that is twice as large as D2. Since the maximum driving width (stroke) of the optical unit 33 at which the zoom performance is best exhibited may vary depending on the number of lenses or specifications, the ratio of D1, D2 depending on the specifications of the optical unit 33 or the overall size of the camera. Can vary as much as you like.

A conventional camera actuator method in which an optical system is directly driven by using a driving force generated by a magnetic circuit has a limitation in extending the driving range of the optical system. This is because, in order for the optical system to increase the driving range, the size of the magnetic circuit, that is, the coil and the magnet that generates driving force for moving the zoom lens in the optical axis direction, must be increased.

On the other hand, the camera actuator 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention amplifies the movement of the driving body 34 with the rotating link 38, not a method in which a magnetic circuit directly drives the optical unit 33 as in the prior art. Thus, as an indirect driving method of driving the optical unit 33 in the optical axis direction, the driving range of the optical unit 33 can be greatly increased without expansion of the magnetic circuit.

In addition, since the magnetic circuit operates the optical unit 33 with a larger width than the distance from which the driving body 34 is operated, there is an advantage in that the driving efficiency is high, and the optical unit 33 is driven without expansion of the magnetic circuit. It is advantageous in terms of energy efficiency as it is advantageous in miniaturization and weight reduction of the camera, and power consumption can be reduced compared to the conventional direct drive method because the structure can be extended to a large extent.

8 is a perspective view of a small camera including a camera actuator according to the above-described aspect, and FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of the operation of the small camera shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a small camera 1 according to another aspect of the present invention is largely composed of a reflectometer 2, a zoom lens unit 3, and an image sensor module 5. The zoom lens unit 3 may be configured to include at least one camera actuator 30 according to the above-described aspect, and the reflectometer 2 is The path is changed and incident on the optical unit 33 of the zoom lens unit 3.

The reflectometer 2 may be a mirror or prism in which the reflective surface 20 is inclined at a specific angle, preferably at an angle of 45 degrees, with respect to the plane on the opening side through which light is introduced, and the zoom lens unit 3 is A configuration in which two camera actuators 30 according to the above-described aspect having the same configuration are arranged in succession along the optical axis direction, that is, two camera actuators 30-1 and 30-2 are arranged in series in the optical axis direction as shown in the drawing. Can be configured.

By configuring each of the two camera actuators 30-1 and 30-2 to be individually operated under the individual control of a drive chip, not shown, zoom in and zoom out over a wider range. Since this is implemented, a more precise, detailed and high-magnification zoom performance can be exhibited, and the light that has passed through the optical unit 33 is the image sensor module 5 disposed at the rear of the optical unit 33 based on the moving direction of the light. Is photographed on

The image sensor module 5 receives light that has passed through the optical unit 33 and outputs image information corresponding to the received light. The image sensor module 5 includes a substrate 52 and an image sensor 50 mounted on the substrate 52, where the image sensor 50 receives image information from the light passing through the optical unit 33. It is collected, and the collected image information may be output to the outside through the substrate 52.

An IR filter 4 may be installed on an optical path between the zoom lens unit 3 and the image sensor module 5. The IR filter 4 filters a specific wavelength, preferably an infrared wavelength, included in the incident light, and allows the filtered light of the infrared wavelength to be projected onto the image sensor module 5. In the drawings, for example, the IR filter 4 is disposed between the zoom lens unit 3 and the image sensor module 5, but is not limited thereto.

It is also installed in the opening 320 through which light flows into the reflector 2, or disposed between the reflector 2 and the zoom lens unit 3 for reflecting incident light toward the zoom lens unit 3 Since it is possible, it should be noted that such modifications may also be included in the scope of the present invention.

Each of the camera actuators 30 is recognized by the drive chip from the signal output by the hall sensor (H/S) of the exact optical axis direction position of the optical unit 33, and the driving coil (D/C) is based on the recognized position information. ), the drive chip determines a control value including the size and direction of the power applied to), and feedback control of the position in the optical axis direction of the optical unit 33 with the determined control value, thereby implementing zoom and autofocus functions. .

Most conventional small cameras adopt a method of directly driving an optical system using a driving force generated by a magnetic circuit. However, this direct driving method has a limitation in extending the driving range of the optical system. This is because, in order for the optical system to increase the driving range, the size of the magnetic circuit, that is, the coil and the magnet that generates driving force for moving the zoom lens in the optical axis direction, must be increased.

On the other hand, the small camera according to the embodiment of the present invention is not a method in which the magnetic circuit directly drives the optical unit as in the prior art, but a new driving method in which the movement of the driving body is amplified by a rotating link to drive the optical unit in the direction of the optical axis. By adopting the camera actuator of, it is possible to greatly increase the driving range of the optical unit without expanding the magnetic circuit.

In addition, since the camera actuator applied to the small camera of the present invention has a structure in which the optical unit moves in the optical axis direction with a larger width than the distance the magnetic circuit moves the driving body in the optical axis direction, the efficiency of driving can be improved, and the magnetic circuit Even without expansion, the drive range of the optical unit can be greatly extended, thus achieving miniaturization and weight reduction of the camera.

In addition, as illustrated in the drawing, each of the plurality of camera actuators is arranged in series based on the optical axis direction, and each is configured to be individually operated under individual control of a drive chip, which is not shown, thereby zooming in over a wider range ( Zoom in) and zoom out are implemented, so it is possible to provide a high-performance camera with a more sophisticated and detailed zoom function.

In the above detailed description of the present invention, only specific embodiments according thereto have been described. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific form mentioned in the detailed description, and rather, it is understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. It should be.

[Explanation of code]

1: camera 2: reflectometer

3: zoom lens unit 4: IR filter

5: image sensor module 20: reflective surface

30, 30-1, 30-2: camera actuator

50: substrate 52: image sensor

31: housing 32: cover

33: optical unit 34: driving body

35: magnetic circuit unit 36: first ball driving unit

37: second ball driving unit 38: rotary link

310: first side wall 311: first accommodation space

312: bulkhead 313: second accommodation space

314: second side wall 316: bottom

320: opening 330: carrier

332: lens barrel 380, 382: camshaft

335, 345: slit 360: first fixed rail

362: first ball 364: first movable rail

370: second fixed rail 372: second ball

374: second movable rail H1: output point

H2: Input point H/S: Hall sensor

M: first magnet P: pivot point

Y: 1st yoke D/C: drive coil

D/M: drive magnet D/Y: drive yoke

D1: Distance from P to H1

D2: Distance from P to H2

Claims

A housing in which a space between the opposed first sidewalls and the second sidewalls is divided into two by a partition wall;

An optical unit installed in a first accommodation space partitioned between the first sidewall and the partition wall so as to be linearly moved along the optical axis direction;

A driving body installed in a second accommodation space partitioned between the second sidewall and the partition wall so as to be linearly moved along the optical axis direction;

A magnetic circuit unit including a driving coil installed on a wall surface dividing the second accommodation space and a driving magnet coupled to a side portion of the driving body to face the driving coil; And

Includes; a rotation link for interlocking the optical unit and the drive body to be interlocked,

The rotation link rotates on a plane parallel to the optical axis according to the movement of the driving body around a pivot point coupled in a hinge structure at the top of the partition wall,

Distance (D1) from the pivot point to an output point in which one side of the rotation link is connected to one surface of the optical unit in a cam structure and the distance to an input point in which the other side of the rotation link is connected to one surface of the driving body in a cam structure. (D2) Different camera actuators.
The method of claim 1,

The camera actuator in which the optical unit is displaced by a larger width than the driving body when the driving body is displaced in the optical axis direction by the magnetic circuit unit because D1 is larger than D2.
The method of claim 1,

A first yoke is installed on the first sidewall,

A camera actuator in which a first magnet is installed so as to face a first yoke on a side portion of the optical unit facing the first side wall.
The method of claim 3,

A camera actuator having at least two hall sensors disposed on the first yoke side at equal intervals along the optical axis direction to detect the position of the first magnet using a Hall effect and generate and output a corresponding signal.
The method of claim 1,

A pair of first ball driving units configured to guide linear motion of the optical unit with respect to the housing in the optical axis direction between the optical unit and the first sidewall; And

A camera actuator further comprising a pair of second ball driving units configured to guide linear motion of the driving body with respect to the housing in the optical axis direction between the driving body and the second sidewall.
The method of claim 5,

The first ball driving part,

A first fixed rail that is elongated along the optical axis direction at the upper and lower portions of the first sidewalls, respectively,

A first movable rail that is elongated along an optical axis direction at an upper and lower side of the optical unit at a position corresponding to the first fixed rail,

A camera actuator comprising one or more first balls interposed between the first fixed rail and the first movable rail corresponding to each other to face each other.
The method of claim 5,

The second ball driving part,

A second fixed rail that is elongated along the optical axis direction at the upper and lower portions of the second sidewalls, respectively,

A second movable rail that is elongated along the optical axis direction at an upper and lower side of the driving body at a position corresponding to the second fixed rail,

A camera actuator comprising one or more second balls interposed between a second fixed rail and a second movable rail corresponding to each other to face each other.
The method of claim 1,

The optical unit,

A carrier installed in the first accommodation space to enable linear motion in the direction of the optical axis and to which a first magnet is coupled to a side portion facing the first side wall;

A camera actuator comprising a lens barrel that is coupled to an accommodation hole in the center of the carrier and accommodates a lens group consisting of a plurality of lenses.
A zoom lens unit including at least one camera actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 8;

A reflectometer for changing a path of light incident through the opening and making it incident on the optical unit of the zoom lens unit; And

An image sensor module that receives light that has passed through the optical unit and outputs image information corresponding to the received light.
The method of claim 9,

The zoom lens unit,

A compact camera in a configuration in which two camera actuators of the same configuration are placed in series along the direction of the optical axis.
The method of claim 10,

A small camera in which the two camera actuators are individually operated.