Optical module, manufacturing method thereof, and terminal device

Abstract

The present invention provides an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device. The optical module includes a module body, which includes a circuit board, an optical chip electrically connected to the circuit board, a bracket arranged on the circuit board, and a lens arranged on the bracket and maintained in the optical path of the optical chip; and a temperature control device, which is arranged around the lens and is used to control the temperature of the lens.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical modules, and in particular to an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of smart device technology in recent years, the requirements for image transmission are getting higher and higher. In addition to the optical imaging performance of the optical module, factors that affect image transmission and imaging quality include temperature changes and temperature height. Cameras in the existing technology cannot work in low-temperature, high-temperature environments or environments with rapidly changing temperatures. The imaging performance of the chip is affected when the camera is in a low-temperature, high-temperature or rapidly changing temperature environment. At the same time, the optical performance of the optical lenses in the camera will also be affected by the thermal expansion and contraction properties. In particular, in the imaging equipment in the field of smart homes, such as smart refrigerators, smart ovens, smart security equipment, and smart heating / cooling systems, when the camera or optical module is working, it is inevitable that it will be in an operating environment that is lower than the normal ambient temperature or higher than the normal ambient temperature. Therefore, when the camera is in a low-temperature, high-temperature or rapidly changing temperature environment, it will affect the imaging quality and will also affect the normal operation of various electrical equipment in the field of smart homes.

[0003] Existing optical modules, such as cameras, video modules, and projection modules, cannot control their temperature in response to the ambient temperature of the optical module. This means that when operating in low-temperature, high-temperature, or rapidly fluctuating environments, the internal temperature of existing optical modules will fluctuate with the environment. In other words, existing optical modules are unable to adjust their temperature in response to changes in ambient temperature.

[0004] In addition, the heat generated by the optical module of the prior art when working for a long time will usually accumulate in the lens of the optical module. The accumulation of heat will make it more difficult for the lens of the optical module to dissipate heat. The heat dissipation method of the optical module of the prior art is usually to adopt the heat conduction method of the heat dissipation material, that is, to passively conduct the heat in the optical module to the outside. When the optical module of the prior art works for a long time, the heat accumulation in its internal cavity due to the heat generation of the chip causes the temperature of the internal cavity to be greater than the temperature of the external environment. The heat dissipation performance of the optical module is far from meeting the use requirements. Improving the temperature control performance of the optical module by changing the manufacturing material of the optical module increases the overall manufacturing difficulty and cost of the optical module. On the other hand, the speed of temperature control and adjustment is difficult to meet the use requirements.

[0005] In particular, optical modules used in mobile phones, tablet computers, and other terminal devices are small in size. As optical modules are precision instruments, adding electrical components to them is often difficult. Existing terminal devices are typically unable to detect the operating temperature of the optical module. Consequently, these devices struggle to predict changes in the module's operating temperature, making it even more difficult to precisely control it.

[0006] On the other hand, in low-temperature environments, the ambient temperature can affect the physical and imaging performance of the chip within the optical module. Existing methods for heating optical modules rely solely on external heating. For example, an optical module installed in a mobile phone uses the phone's internal heating to heat the module. However, this external heating method is ineffective and slow in heating, failing to meet practical requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0007] A major advantage of the present invention is that it provides an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the optical module controls the temperature of the optical module so that the optical module operates within a suitable temperature range, which is beneficial to improving the imaging quality of the optical module.

[0008] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the optical module includes a heating device. When the optical module operates in a low-temperature environment, the heating device heats to increase the temperature of the optical module.

[0009] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the optical module includes a cooling device. When the optical module operates in a high-temperature environment, the cooling device absorbs the heat of the optical module to reduce the temperature of the optical module.

[0010] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the optical module is capable of detecting the working environment temperature and automatically controlling the temperature of the optical module based on the detected working environment temperature.

[0011] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the cooling device absorbs heat from the internal cavity of the optical module by actively cooling the temperature, which is conducive to quickly reducing the temperature inside the optical module.

[0012] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the heating device and the cooling device are arranged on the outside of a lens of a module body of the optical module, and the lens is kept at a suitable working environment temperature by the heating device and the cooling device to maintain the optical imaging performance of the module body.

[0013] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the heating device is arranged on the outside of a lens of the optical module in a coil-wound manner, which occupies a small space and reduces the difficulty of assembly.

[0014] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the heating device is attached to the outside of a lens holder of the optical module, and the heating device heats the lens of the optical module by heat conduction.

[0015] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the temperature of the optical module is controlled by controlling the current of the temperature increasing device, so as to control the optical module within the operating temperature range.

[0016] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the cooling device is embedded in the lens holder of the optical module, occupying a small space.

[0017] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an optical module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a terminal device, wherein the optical module can automatically adjust the operating temperature of the optical module according to the temperature of the shooting environment to keep the optical module at a suitable operating temperature, which is beneficial to improving the service life of the optical module.

[0018] Other advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and will be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, an optical module of the present invention that can achieve the aforementioned objects and other objects and advantages includes:

[0020] a module body comprising a circuit board, an optical chip electrically connected to the circuit board, a bracket disposed on the circuit board, and a lens disposed on the bracket and held in an optical path of the optical chip; and

[0021] A temperature control device is disposed around the lens and is used to control the temperature of the lens.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control device includes a heating element, and the heating element is arranged around the lens in a manner of being circumferentially disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the bracket.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature rising element includes a heating coil and a substrate, the heating coil is formed on the substrate, and the substrate is circumferentially attached to the outer peripheral wall of the bracket.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate is a flexible printed circuit board.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature increasing device further includes a connector, which extends between the substrate and the circuit board to electrically connect the substrate and the heating coil to the circuit board.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control device further includes a cooling element, and the cooling element is formed integrally with the bracket and surrounds the lens.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling element defines an inner cavity and an outer space, and the lens is placed in the inner cavity, wherein the cooling device absorbs the heat of the inner cavity and conducts the heat of the inner cavity to the outer space to reduce the temperature of the lens.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device includes a heat conduction unit and an electrical connection unit, the heat conduction unit is electrically connected to the electrical connection unit, the heat conduction unit is fixedly arranged on the mirror base, and the heat conduction unit separates the inner cavity and the external space and conducts heat from the inner cavity to the external space.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heating element is attached to the cooling element by gluing, and the heating element conducts heat to the inner cavity through the cooling element to heat the lens.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a temperature controller is further included, wherein the temperature sensing unit is electrically connected to the circuit board and is configured to control the temperature control device.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the optical chip is a projection chip.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the optical chip is a photosensitive chip.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bracket and the lens have an integrated structure.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a terminal device, comprising:

[0035] a terminal device body; and

[0036] The optical module as described above, wherein the optical module is arranged in the terminal device body.

[0037] According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing an optical module, wherein the manufacturing method comprises the following steps:

[0038] (a) conductively attaching an optical chip and a temperature sensing unit to a circuit board;

[0039] (b) mounting a lens on a bracket, and fixing the bracket to the circuit board, wherein the bracket separates the optical chip and the temperature sensing unit; and

[0040] (c) a temperature control device is provided on the bracket in a manner surrounding the lens, and the temperature control device is electrically connected to the circuit board.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present invention, step (c) of the above manufacturing method further comprises the steps of:

[0042] A cooling element is fixedly mounted on the bracket, and an inner cavity and an outer space are defined by the cooling element, wherein the lens is located in the inner cavity; and

[0043] A temperature increasing device is circumferentially adhered to the temperature decreasing device, and the temperature increasing device is electrically connected to the circuit board.

[0044] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from an understanding of the following description and accompanying drawings.

[0045] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, accompanying drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a working diagram of an optical module according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of the optical module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 3 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of the optical module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figures 4A to 4D FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an assembly of the optical module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram of the steps of a temperature control method for an optical module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The following description is intended to disclose the present invention so that those skilled in the art can implement the present invention. The preferred embodiments described below are for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other obvious variations. The basic principles of the present invention defined in the following description may be applied to other embodiments, variations, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0053] Those skilled in the art should understand that, in the disclosure of the present invention, the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0054] It is to be understood that the term "one" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element may be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the elements may be multiple, and the term "one" should not be understood as a limitation on the quantity.

[0055] Referring to the accompanying drawings of the present invention Figures 1 to 4D As shown, an optical module 100 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained in the following description. The optical module 100 includes a module body 10, a temperature control device 20, and a temperature controller 30, wherein the temperature control device 20 is disposed in the module body 10 and is conductively connected to the temperature controller 30. The temperature controller 30 controls the electrical conductivity of the temperature control device 20 to maintain the module body 10 operating within a suitable operating temperature range. It is worth mentioning that in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the optical module 100 can be, but is not limited to, an optical camera module, a video camera, or an optical projection module.

[0056] When the optical module 100 is working at a low temperature, the temperature control device 20 heats the module body 10 based on the control instructions of the temperature controller 30 to increase the temperature of the module body 10; when the optical module 100 is working in a high temperature environment, the temperature control device 20 absorbs the heat of the module body 10 based on the control instructions of the temperature controller 30 to reduce the temperature of the module body 10, so as to keep the module body 100 of the optical module 100 working within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0057] The temperature control device 20 includes a heating element 21 and a cooling element 22, wherein the heating element 21 and the cooling element 22 are arranged on the module body 10. In a low temperature environment, the heating element 21 can be turned on to heat the module body 10 and increase the working temperature of the module body 10. When the module body 10 works in a low temperature environment, the cooling element 22 is turned on, and the cooling device reduces the temperature of the module body 10 by absorbing the heat of the module body 10. Preferably, the heating element is arranged around the outer peripheral wall of the bracket to surround the lens. It can be understood that the bracket 14 and the lens 15 have an integrated structure, that is, the lens of the optical module 100 and the bracket 14 are an integrated structure.

[0058] The temperature controller 30 controls the operating state of the heating element 21 and / or the cooling element 22 of the optical module 100. It is understood that the temperature controller 30 supports the operation of the optical module 100 by providing operating power to the heating element 21 and the cooling element 22 of the optical module 100. Preferably, the heating element 21 is implemented as an electric heating device, wherein the heating element 21 generates heat when electrically conductive, heating the module body 10 to increase the operating temperature of the module body 10; the cooling element 22 is implemented as a heat sink, wherein the cooling element 22 absorbs heat from the module body 10 when electrically conductive, thereby reducing the temperature of the module body 10.

[0059] In short, when the working environment temperature of the optical module 100 is lower than the set minimum temperature value, the temperature controller 30 controls the heating element 21 to be turned on so that the heating element 21 heats the module body 10; when the working environment temperature of the optical module 100 is higher than the set maximum temperature value, the temperature controller 30 controls the cooling element 22 to be turned on, and the cooling element 22 absorbs the heat of the module body 10 when turned on to reduce the working temperature of the module body 10.

[0060] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, the module body 10 of the optical module 100 includes a circuit board 11, an optical chip 12 disposed on the circuit board 11, at least one color filter 13, a bracket 14, and a lens 15, wherein the optical chip 12 is conductively disposed on the surface of the circuit board 11, the color filter 13 is fixedly disposed on the bracket 14, and the lens 15 is supported above the optical chip 12 by the bracket 14 based on the optical chip 12. The bracket 14 is fixedly disposed on the circuit board 11. It is understood that when the optical module 100 is a camera module, the optical chip 12 can be implemented as a photosensitive chip; when the optical module 100 is an optical projection module, the optical chip 12 is implemented as a projection chip.

[0061] The temperature control device 20 is disposed adjacent to the outer side of the lens 15. When the temperature control device 20 is turned on, the temperature control device 20 heats the lens 15 or absorbs the heat of the lens 15 to keep the temperature of the lens 15 within a normal operating temperature range. In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control device 20 is disposed around the periphery of the lens 15 to quickly and evenly absorb the heat of the lens 15 or heat the lens 15, thereby keeping the lens 15 within a suitable operating temperature range. The temperature control device 20 is fixedly disposed on the upper end of the bracket 14, wherein the

[0062] The heating element 21 is disposed adjacent to the outside of the lens 15. When the heating element 21 is turned on, the heat generated by the electrical heating of the heating element 21 is transferred to the lens 15, thereby raising the temperature of the lens 15. Preferably, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating element 21 is conductively connected to the temperature controller 30 via the circuit board 11 of the optical module 100. That is, the temperature controller 30 provides a control signal and an operating current to the heating element 21 via the circuit board 11. Specifically, the circuit board 11 is adapted to be conductively connected to the temperature controller 30. The control signal generated by the temperature controller 30 is transmitted to the circuit board 11, and the control signal is then transmitted to the heating element 21 via the circuit board 11.

[0063] The heating element 21 includes a heating unit 211 and a connector 212, wherein the connector 212 is electrically connected to the circuit board 11 of the module body 10, and the heating unit 211 is conductively connected to the connector 212. In short, the heating unit 211 is electrically connected to the circuit board 11 through the connector 212, and the heating unit 211 is conductively connected to the temperature controller 30 through the circuit board 11. It is worth mentioning that in other embodiments of the present invention, the heating element 21 is conductively connected to the temperature controller 30, and the temperature controller 30 directly provides working power to the heating element 21 and controls the operation of the heating element 21. Preferably, the heating coil is formed on the substrate, wherein the substrate is circumferentially attached to the outer peripheral wall of the bracket, and the substrate can be, but is not limited to, a flexible circuit board.

[0064] Preferably, the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is disposed adjacent to the bracket 14 in a manner surrounding the outside of the lens 15 to uniformly increase the temperature of the lens 15 of the module body 10. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 can also be disposed outside the lens 15 in other arrangements. The connector extends between the substrate and the circuit board to electrically connect the substrate and the heating coil to the circuit board.

[0065] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the heating unit 211 heats the module body 10 by electrical heating. Accordingly, the heating unit 211 further includes at least one heating coil 2111, a substrate 2112, and a connecting portion 2113, wherein the heating coil 2111 is disposed on the substrate 2112 and supported by the substrate 2112 so as to surround the outside of the module body 10. The connecting portion 2113 is disposed at one end of the substrate 2112 and is electrically connected to the heating coil 2111. The connecting portion 2113 is adapted to be conductively connected to the connector 212 of the heating coil 2111.

[0066] Preferably, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate 2112 of the heating unit 211 is integrally formed on the outside of the heating coil 2111, and the heating coil 2111 is disposed around the substrate 2112. Optionally, the heating coil 2111 of the heating unit 211 is disposed on the surface of the substrate 2112 in a winding manner.

[0067] like Figure 3As shown, the lens 15 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the bracket 14, wherein the cooling element 22 is mounted on the bracket 14. When in a conductive state, the cooling element 22 actively absorbs heat to reduce the temperature of the module body 10. The cooling element 22 surrounds the outer circumference of the lens 15, and is implemented as an annular device, defining an inner cavity 301 and an outer space 302. The lens 14 is mounted in the inner cavity 301 defined by the cooling element 22. When the cooling element 22 is in a conductive state, the cooling element 22 absorbs heat within the inner cavity 301 and transfers the heat to the outer space 302. Preferably, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cooling element surrounds the lens by being integrally formed with the bracket.

[0068] The cooling element 22 includes a heat conduction unit 221 and an electrical connection unit 222. The heat conduction unit 221 is electrically connected to the thermostat 30 via the electrical connection unit 222. The thermostat 30 provides operating power to the heat conduction unit 221 and controls its operating state via the electrical connection unit 222. It will be appreciated that in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heat conduction unit 221 is used to define the inner cavity 301 and the outer space 302. The inner cavity 301 is located inside the heat conduction unit 221, and the outer space 302 is located outside the heat conduction unit 221.

[0069] In other optional embodiments of the present invention, the electrical connection unit 222 of the cooling element 22 is electrically connected to the circuit board 11 of the module body 10, and the thermostat 30 is connected to the cooling element 22 through the circuit board 11. In short, the thermostat 30 provides operating power and sends control signal instructions to the cooling element 22 through the circuit board 11 to control the operating state of the cooling element 22.

[0070] The heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is fixedly mounted on the bracket 14. Preferably, the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is embedded into the bracket 14 from the upper end. It is understood that the cooling element 22 is mounted on the periphery of the lens 15 by being embedded in the bracket 14, reducing the space occupied by the cooling element 22. When in the conductive state, the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 conducts heat from the inner cavity 301 to the outer space 302, thereby reducing the temperature of the lens 15 within the inner cavity 301.

[0071] More preferably, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating element 21 is disposed on the outside of the cooling element 22, and the heating element 21 transfers heat to the inner cavity 301 through the cooling element 22 to increase the temperature of the lens 15 in the inner cavity 301. Accordingly, the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is adhered to the outside of the cooling element 22, which facilitates the heating unit 211 to transfer heat to the cooling element 22 through heat conduction, thereby improving the heat conduction efficiency. Preferably, the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is attached to the outside of the cooling element 22 by gluing. Exemplarily, the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is fixed to the outside of the cooling element 22 by wrapping tape.

[0072] It is worth noting that in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is implemented as a thin heating coil surrounding the periphery of the lens 15, effectively utilizing the space of the optical module 100. Furthermore, since the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 surrounds the periphery of the lens 15 and is a thin heating coil, the heat conduction surface area of the heating element 21 is increased within a limited space, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the heating element 21.

[0073] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the temperature controller 30 controls the heating efficiency of the heating element 21 by controlling the current or voltage of the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 and the length of the electrical conduction time, thereby controlling the heating speed of the module body 10 and the module body 10 within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0074] In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is implemented as a condensing unit. When the heat conduction unit 221 is turned on, it absorbs heat from the inner cavity 301. The heat absorbed by the heat conduction unit 221 is transferred to the external space 302, thereby reducing the temperature of the lens 15 within the inner cavity 301. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cooling element 22 is an active heat dissipation device. That is, when the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is turned on, it absorbs heat from the inner cavity 301, thereby maintaining the lens 15 within the inner cavity 301 within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0075] Preferably, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is embedded in the bracket 14, with the bracket 14 securing the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22. Optionally, the bracket 14 is integrally formed on the outside of the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22, securing and supporting the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22. Optionally, the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is adhered to one end of the bracket 14 by gluing.

[0076] like Figure 3 As shown, the circuit board 11 of the module body 10 includes a circuit board body 111 and a circuit board connector 112, wherein the circuit board connector 112 is conductively arranged at one end of the circuit board body 111. It can be understood that in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the circuit board 11 is suitable for being electrically connected to a device motherboard of a terminal device, such as a mobile phone. Optionally, the circuit board 11 of the module body 10 is suitable for being conductively connected to the thermostat 30, and the thermostat 30 provides working power and control signals to the circuit board body 111 through the circuit board connector 112, and the circuit board body 111 transmits power and control signals to the heating element 21 or the cooling element 22 based on the control instructions of the thermostat 30.

[0077] The optical module 100 further includes at least one temperature sensing unit 40, wherein the temperature sensing unit 40 is capable of detecting the operating temperature of the operating environment of the module body 10 of the optical module 100. The temperature sensing unit 40 is communicatively connected to the temperature controller 30, and the temperature data of the operating environment of the module body 10 detected by the temperature sensing unit 40 is transmitted to the temperature controller 30. The temperature controller 30 controls the operating state of the heating element 21 or the cooling element 22 based on the detection data of the module body 10 to maintain the module body 10 of the optical module 100 at an appropriate operating temperature.

[0078] Preferably, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensing unit 40 may be, but is not limited to, a temperature sensing chip, wherein the temperature sensing unit 40 is attached to the upper surface of the circuit board 11 of the module body 10 to detect the detection temperature T of the module body 10. The temperature sensing unit 40 is conductively connected to the circuit board 11, wherein the temperature data information detected by the temperature sensing unit 40 is transmitted to the thermostat 30 via the circuit board 11, so that the thermostat 30 controls the operating state of the heating element 21 and / or the cooling element 22 based on the temperature data detected by the temperature sensing unit 40.

[0079] Specifically, the optical module 100 is preset with a low-temperature startup temperature T1 and a high-temperature startup temperature T2. When the operating temperature of the module body 10 is lower than the low-temperature startup temperature T1, the module body 10 is in a low-temperature operating state; when the operating temperature of the module body 10 is higher than the low-temperature startup temperature T1, the module body 10 is in a high-temperature operating state. When the operating temperature of the module body 10 is between the low-temperature startup temperature T1 and the high-temperature startup temperature T2, the module body 10 is in a normal operating state.

[0080] When the temperature T detected by the temperature sensing unit 40 is less than or equal to T1, the temperature controller 30 controls the heating element 21 to be in a conductive state, wherein the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is heated based on the control instruction of the temperature controller 30, and transfers heat to the module body 10 to increase the operating temperature of the module body 10. In particular, the heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 transfers heat to the inner cavity 301 via the heat transfer unit 221 of the cooling element 22, thereby heating the lens 15 of the module body 10 within the inner cavity 301, thereby maintaining the lens 15 within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0081] When the detection temperature T≥T2 detected by the temperature sensing unit 40, the temperature controller 30 controls the cooling element 22 to be in a conductive state, wherein the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 absorbs the heat in the inner cavity 301 based on the control instruction of the temperature controller 30, and conducts the heat to the external space 302 to reduce the operating temperature of the module body 10.

[0082] Preferably, the temperature sensing unit 40 is attached to the upper surface of the circuit board 11 in proximity to the bracket 14 of the module body 10 to prevent the optical chip 12 of the module body 10 from affecting the temperature sensing unit 40 during operation. The temperature sensing unit 40 is adjacent to the lens 15 of the module body 10 to facilitate measuring the operating temperature of the lens 15 of the module body 10, thereby facilitating precise adjustment of the operating environment temperature of the module body 10.

[0083] Referring to the accompanying drawings of the present invention Figures 4A to 4D As shown, an assembly method of an optical module 100 according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained in the following description.

[0084] The connector 212 of the heating element 21, the temperature sensing unit 40, and the optical chip 12 are attached to the circuit board 11, for example, by attaching the connector 212 and the temperature sensing unit 40 to the circuit board body 111 of the circuit board 11 through an SMT attachment process. The heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is mounted on the bracket 14, and the color filter 13 is fixed to the bracket 14. Exemplarily, the heat conduction unit 221 of the cooling element 22 is embedded in the upper end of the bracket 14, so that the bracket 14 fixes the heat conduction unit 221. The lens 15 is mounted in the inner cavity 301 defined by the cooling element 22, wherein the lens 15 is fixed to the bracket 14, for example, the lens 15 is fixed to the bracket 14 by screwing, so as to obtain a lens holder assembly. The bracket 14 is fixedly mounted on the circuit board 11, for example, by gluing the lens 15 and the bracket 14 to the circuit board body 111 of the circuit board 11. The heating unit 211 of the heating element 21 is attached to the outside of the cooling element 22, and the heating unit 211 is conductively connected to the connector 212 to produce the optical module 100.

[0085] According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing an optical module, wherein the manufacturing method comprises the following steps:

[0086] (a) An optical chip 12 and a temperature sensing unit 40 are conductively attached to a circuit board 11;

[0087] (b) mounting a lens 15 on a bracket 14 and fixing the bracket 14 to the circuit board 11, wherein the bracket 14 separates the optical chip 12 and the temperature sensing unit 40; and

[0088] (c) A temperature control device 20 is disposed on the bracket 14 in a manner surrounding the lens 15 , and the temperature control device 20 is electrically connected to the circuit board 11 .

[0089] The step (c) of the above-mentioned manufacturing method of the present invention further comprises the steps of:

[0090] A cooling element 22 is fixedly mounted on the bracket 14 , and the cooling element 22 defines an inner cavity 301 and an outer space 302 , wherein the lens 15 is located in the inner cavity 301 ; and

[0091] A heating device 21 is circumferentially adhered to the cooling device 22 , and the heating device 21 is electrically connected to the circuit board 11 .

[0092] like Figure 6As shown, a terminal device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below. The terminal device includes a terminal device body 300, at least one optical module 100, and a thermostat 30. The optical module 100 and the thermostat 30 are mounted on the terminal device body 300, and the terminal device body 300 provides operating power for the optical module 100. It is worth noting that the thermostat 30 can be, but is not limited to, an electronic component disposed in the terminal device body 300. For example, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device body 300 can be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone terminal, wherein the optical module 100 is implemented as a camera device disposed in the mobile phone terminal device, and the thermostat 30 is disposed on a mainboard of the terminal device body 300. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the terminal device described herein is merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, in other alternative embodiments of the present invention, the terminal device can also be implemented as a tablet computer, a mobile camera device, etc.

[0093] It is worth mentioning that in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can also be implemented as other types of electronic devices, such as smart home devices applied to smart terminals, such as smart refrigerators, smart ovens, smart security equipment, vending machines, and smart heating / cooling systems.

[0094] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The objectives of the present invention have been fully and effectively achieved. The functional and structural principles of the present invention have been demonstrated and illustrated in the embodiments. Any variations or modifications may be made to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the principles described.

[0095] like Figure 5 According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a temperature control method for an optical module 100, wherein the temperature control method comprises the following steps:

[0096] (a) presetting a low-temperature start-up temperature T1 and a high-temperature start-up temperature T2; and

[0097] (b) detecting a detection temperature T of the optical module 100; when the detection temperature T≤T1, turning on a heating element 21 of the optical module 100 so that the heating element 21 heats a module body 10 of the optical module 100; and when the detection temperature T≥T2, turning on a cooling element 22 of the optical module 100 so that the cooling element 22 absorbs heat from the module body 10 and reduces the temperature of the module body 10.

[0098] In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, based on the preset low-temperature startup temperature T1 and the high-temperature startup temperature T2, when the detection temperature T detected by the temperature sensing unit 40 is between the low-temperature startup temperature T1 and the high-temperature startup temperature T2, the temperature controller 30 maintains the heating element 21 and the cooling element 22 of the optical module 100 in an electrically disconnected state. Exemplarily, the low-temperature startup temperature T1 is any temperature value within the temperature range of 20°C-30°C. When the detection temperature T of the optical module 100 is lower than the low-temperature startup temperature T1, the temperature controller 30 determines that the optical module 100 is in a low-temperature operating environment, and its excessively low temperature will affect the optical imaging performance of the module body 10. Therefore, the temperature controller 30 activates the heating device, and the heating element 21 heats the module body 10 to maintain the optical imaging performance of the module body 10. It can be understood that the value of the low-temperature starting temperature T1 is merely illustrative and not restrictive. In other optional embodiments of the present invention, the low-temperature starting temperature T1 can also be based on the imaging performance of the module body 10, and values in other temperature ranges can be selected as the starting temperature.

[0099] The high-temperature startup temperature T2 is any temperature value between 50°C and 80°C. When the detected temperature T of the optical module 100 is higher than the low-temperature startup temperature T2, the thermostat 30 determines that the optical module 100 is in a high-temperature operating environment. Excessively high temperatures can affect the optical imaging performance of the module body 10. Therefore, the thermostat 30 activates the cooling element 22, which absorbs heat from the inner cavity 301, lowering the temperature of the module body 10 to maintain the optical imaging performance of the module body 10. It will be understood that the value of the high-temperature startup temperature T2 is merely exemplary and non-limiting. In other optional embodiments of the present invention, the high-temperature startup temperature T2 may be based on the imaging performance of the module body 10, and values within other temperature ranges may be selected as the startup temperature.

[0100] When the detected temperature T ≤ T1, the thermostat 30 generates a temperature increase control instruction and transmits the temperature increase control instruction to the heating element 21. The thermostat 30 activates the heating element 21, which heats the lens 15 of the module body 10. The heating element 21 heats the cooling element 22, which then transfers the heat generated by the heating element 21 to the inner cavity 301, raising the operating temperature of the lens 15 to a suitable operating temperature range. When the detected temperature T ≥ T2, the thermostat 30 generates a temperature decrease control instruction and transmits the temperature decrease control instruction to the cooling element 22, which absorbs the heat within the inner cavity 301. The cooling element 22 transfers the heat within the inner cavity 301 to the external space 302. The cooling element 30 reduces the temperature of the inner cavity 301 to a suitable operating temperature range, thereby maintaining the optical transmission performance of the lens 15 of the module body 10.

Claims

1. An optical module, characterized in that: include: A module body comprising a circuit board, an optical chip electrically connected to the circuit board, a bracket disposed on the circuit board, and a lens disposed on the bracket and held in an optical path of the optical chip; and a temperature control device, the temperature control device being disposed around the lens and configured to control the temperature of the lens; The temperature control device includes a heating element, which includes a heating coil, a substrate, and a connector. The heating coil is formed on the substrate, and the connector extends between the substrate and the circuit board. The substrate is a flexible circuit board. The temperature control device further includes a cooling element, which is installed on the periphery of the lens in a manner of being embedded in the bracket; The heating element is attached to the cooling element by gluing, and the heating element conducts heat through the cooling element to heat the lens. 2 . The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature rising element is disposed around the lens in a manner of being circumferentially disposed on an outer peripheral wall of the bracket. 3 . The optical module according to claim 2 , wherein the substrate is circumferentially attached to an outer peripheral wall of the bracket.

4. The optical module according to claim 2, wherein the cooling element defines an inner cavity and an outer space, the lens is placed in the inner cavity, and the cooling element is used to absorb heat from the inner cavity and conduct the heat from the inner cavity to the outer space to reduce the temperature of the lens. 5 . The optical module according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling element comprises a heat conduction unit and an electrical connection unit, the heat conduction unit is electrically connected to the electrical connection unit, and the heat conduction unit is fixedly disposed on the bracket. 6 . The optical module according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature controller, wherein the temperature controller is electrically connected to the circuit board and configured to control the temperature control device.

7. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein: The optical chip is a projection chip.

8. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein: The optical chip is a photosensitive chip.

9. The optical module according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The bracket and the lens have an integrated structure.

10. A terminal device, characterized in that: include: a terminal device body; as well as The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the optical module is arranged in the terminal device body.

11. A method for manufacturing an optical module, characterized in that: The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: (a) conductively attaching an optical chip and a temperature sensing unit to a circuit board; (b) mounting a lens on a bracket and fixing the bracket to the circuit board, wherein the bracket separates the optical chip and the temperature sensing unit; as well as (c) disposing a temperature control device on the bracket so as to surround the lens, and electrically connecting the temperature control device to the circuit board; wherein the temperature control device includes a heating element, the heating element including a heating coil, a substrate, and a connector, the heating coil being formed on the substrate, the connector extending between the substrate and the circuit board, and the substrate being a flexible printed circuit board; The step (c) further comprises the steps of: A cooling element is fixedly mounted on the bracket, and an inner cavity and an outer space are defined by the cooling element, wherein the cooling element is mounted on the periphery of the lens in a manner embedded in the bracket; the lens is located in the inner cavity; and The heating element is circumferentially adhered to the cooling element, and the heating element is electrically connected to the circuit board; wherein the heating element conducts heat to the inner cavity through the cooling element to heat the lens.

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