Zoom lens and zoom camera module

Abstract

This invention relates to a zoom lens, comprising a housing assembly; a second lens component; and a zoom lens assembly including a first carrier film, a second carrier film, a deformable light-transmitting body located between the two, an extension arm, and a driving element; the deformable light-transmitting body is colloidal; wherein the extension arm includes a pressing portion, an extension portion, and a driving mounting portion, the pressing portion resting against and fixed to the edge region of the first or second carrier film, the extension portion extending outward from the pressing portion, the pressing portion and the driving mounting portion being located at opposite ends of the extension portion; the driving element is adapted to drive the extension arm to move along the z-axis, thereby bending the first and / or second carrier films through the pressing portion to change the surface profile of the deformable light-transmitting body; wherein the z-axis is parallel to the optical axis of the zoom lens. This invention also provides a corresponding zoom camera module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of camera module technology, and more specifically, to a zoom lens and a zoom camera module. Background Technology

[0002] Mobile phone camera modules are a crucial component of smart devices, and their application scope and usage are constantly growing. With technological advancements, both work and life are increasingly emphasizing smart technology, and a key prerequisite for this is effective interaction with the external environment. A crucial method for achieving this interaction is visual perception, which primarily relies on camera modules. It can be said that camera modules have transformed from obscurity into a vital key component of smart devices. As smart terminal devices (such as smartphones) continue to develop, the functions offered by mobile phone camera modules are becoming increasingly diverse. Among these, zoom capability is one of the important functions of some mobile phone camera modules.

[0003] In traditional mobile phone camera modules, zooming is often achieved by using an array module (i.e., a multi-camera module) consisting of a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens to capture images at different distances. However, in this approach, the lenses in such multi-camera modules are usually fixed-focus lenses, meaning the focal length of each camera module is not adjustable. Therefore, digital zoom can only be achieved by performing interpolation or other algorithms on the images captured by the image sensor. The image quality of digitally zoomed images is relatively poor. Of course, some devices use lenses with AF (Auto Focus) functionality, which can automatically focus and improve the shooting effect. However, focusing usually only optimizes the image captured by the lens and cannot adjust the focal length of the optical system, thus failing to meet consumers' needs for zoom shooting.

[0004] An optical zoom module is a standalone camera module that enables zoom shooting. Existing optical zoom modules typically change the focal length of the lens by altering the distance between the optical elements, allowing for relatively clear images of distant objects with relatively high image quality. However, changing the distance between the optical elements requires moving a portion of the lens along the optical axis. This movement along the optical axis occupies a significant portion of the module, increasing its overall size (especially along the optical axis), making miniaturization difficult. This poses a major obstacle to the application of optical zoom modules in smart terminal devices (such as smartphones).

[0005] Currently, periscope camera modules are commonly used as zoom modules with telephoto capabilities. Compared to traditional vertical camera modules (such as the main camera in common multi-camera modules in mobile phones), periscope camera modules offer higher magnification focal lengths, enabling long-distance shooting. Specifically, a periscope camera module uses a prism (or mirror) to fold the light path, folding the optical axis parallel to the phone's surface. This allows the optical elements of the telephoto module to be arranged parallel to the phone's surface, rather than stacked along the phone's thickness, effectively reducing the thickness of the phone with the telephoto module. Currently, periscope camera modules in mobile phones can achieve equivalent focal lengths of 5x and 10x compared to the main camera / wide-angle lens. Periscope camera modules are the best choice for mobile phone manufacturers to achieve telephoto capabilities without increasing the phone's thickness. However, since continuous optical zoom modules often require at least two movable lens groups, namely a zoom lens group and a focus sub-lens group, and these at least two movable lens groups often move in the same direction, both axially, the periscope optical zoom module becomes too long, encroaching on the space of other components (such as the battery) inside the mobile phone (or other electronic devices equipped with the periscope optical zoom module).

[0006] On the other hand, liquid lens technology has matured in recent years. Unlike traditional zoom lenses based on axial movement of the lens, liquid lenses can achieve zoom functionality by changing the curvature of the optical surface of the liquid lens through electricity or other means. The liquid lens can have a liquid deformable light-transmitting body, the surface of which can be bent into surfaces with different curvatures under the action of piezoelectric driving elements (or other types of electrically controlled driving elements), thereby changing the focal length. Since liquid lenses do not require axial movement, they can achieve high-magnification optical zoom without significantly increasing the axial size of the camera module. This makes it possible for vertical modules to achieve high-magnification optical zoom. In existing technologies, the main camera often uses a photosensitive chip with a large image area to provide a larger photosensitive pixel area, increase the light intake of a single pixel, and also allow for a higher number of pixels to be arranged, achieving high pixel count. Such large image sensor modules often adopt a vertical structure. Therefore, if high-magnification zoom function can be achieved in a vertical module, it will help combine the advantages of large image sensor and high-magnification zoom, thereby providing strong support for improving image shooting quality.

[0007] However, deformable lenses (such as liquid lenses) typically require piezoelectric elements driven by piezoelectric elements, which are usually positioned around the deformable lens. This makes it difficult to compress the radial dimension (radial direction, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the optical axis) of the assembly consisting of the deformable lens and its driving element (hereinafter referred to as a zoom lens). Specifically, when the deformable lens is a liquid, it needs to be contained within a container constructed from a support plate. The radius of the support plate is typically larger than the radius of the deformable lens. The piezoelectric driving element rests against the edge region of the support plate and applies pressure to the support plate under the control of an electrical signal, causing the support plate to bend and thus changing the curvature of the deformable lens surface. Since the piezoelectric element itself inevitably occupies a certain volume, the radial dimension of the zoom lens must be increased. On the other hand, to achieve a wide range of optical zoom capabilities, zoom lenses are typically configured with high optical sensitivity in optical design, and are usually positioned near the front of the lens (i.e., near the object side). The larger radial dimension of zoom lenses will result in a larger lens head, making it difficult to use with display panels based on the currently common "punch-hole screen" manufacturing process.

[0008] To reduce the radial dimension of zoom lenses, one approach is to directly fabricate piezoelectric elements on the lens's carrier plate using semiconductor processes. However, this method is costly, technically challenging, and the reduction in the radial dimension of the zoom lens is limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a lower-cost, less technically demanding solution that can reduce the radial space occupied by zoom lenses. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a solution that reduces the radial space occupied by zoom lenses with lower cost and lower manufacturing difficulty.

[0010] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a zoom lens, comprising: a housing assembly having a light-transmitting aperture; a second lens component including a second lens barrel and a plurality of second lenses mounted on the inner side of the second lens barrel; and a zoom lens assembly located at one end of the second lens component near the object side; the zoom lens assembly includes a first carrier film located above, a second carrier film located below, a deformable light-transmitting body located between the first and second carrier films, an extension arm, and a driving element; the deformable light-transmitting body is colloidal, and its surface shape changes with the bending of the first and / or second carrier films; wherein, the extension arm includes a pressing... The device comprises a pressing part, an extension part, and a drive mounting part. The pressing part rests against and is fixed to the edge region of the first or second carrier film. The pressing part is located at one end of the extension part, and the drive mounting part is located at the other end of the extension part. The extension part extends outward from the pressing part. The drive mounting part mounts the drive element or is coupled to the drive element via a gear and rack structure. The drive element is adapted to drive the extension arm to move along the z-axis, thereby causing the first and / or second carrier films to bend through the pressing part to change the surface profile of the deformable light-transmitting body. The z-axis is parallel to the optical axis of the zoom lens.

[0011] The driving element is a piezoelectric element, one end of which is mounted on the driving mounting part and the other end of which is mounted on the housing assembly. The extension arm is adapted to rise or fall along the z-axis under the drive of the piezoelectric element.

[0012] The driving element is an electromagnetic driving element.

[0013] The electromagnetic drive element includes a coil and a magnet; wherein the magnet is mounted on the drive mounting part, the coil is mounted on the housing assembly, and the coil and the magnet are arranged opposite to each other, such that the extension arm is adapted to rise or fall along the z-axis under the action of the electromagnetic drive element.

[0014] In the extended arm, the thickness of the pressing part is less than the thickness of the driving mounting part.

[0015] In the extended arm, the pressing part is positioned higher on the z-axis than the drive mounting part is positioned on the z-axis.

[0016] The extension portion is formed by extending outward from the pressing portion and then bending downward.

[0017] The housing assembly includes a driver base and a housing covering the driver base. The driver base includes a base plate and a driver support extending upward from the base plate.

[0018] The driving element is an electromagnetic driving element, which includes a coil and a magnet. The coil is mounted on the driver bracket, and the magnet is mounted on the driving mounting part.

[0019] The deformable light-transmitting body is in a colloidal state, the elastic modulus of the first carrier film is greater than the elastic modulus of the deformable light-transmitting body, and the elastic modulus of the first carrier film is less than a preset upper limit, so that the first carrier film bends under the action of external force.

[0020] The elastic modulus of the second carrier film is greater than that of the deformable light-transmitting body, and the elastic modulus of the second carrier film is less than a preset upper limit, so that the second carrier film bends under the action of external force.

[0021] The second carrier membrane is a rigid carrier plate.

[0022] The second lens component is adapted to move along the z-axis under the drive of the compensation drive element; the zoom lens further includes an image plane offset compensation logic module, which controls the drive signal of the compensation drive element to move the second lens component in the z-axis direction to compensate for the offset of the image plane position in the z-axis direction caused by the deformation of the deformable light-transmitting body.

[0023] The second lens component is further adapted to move along the x-axis and y-axis under the drive of the compensation drive element; the zoom lens also includes a zoom compensation logic module for controlling the drive signal of the compensation drive element so that the amount of movement of the second lens component in the x-axis and y-axis directions is adapted to the offset of the optical center of the zoom lens assembly in the xoy plane caused by the deformation of the deformable light-transmitting body.

[0024] The extension extends horizontally outward from the pressing part, and the drive mounting part has a rack that meshes with a gear disposed on the housing assembly. The gear is adapted to rotate under the action of the drive element to drive the rack and the extension arm to move up and down along the z-axis.

[0025] The extension portion extends horizontally outward from the pressing portion, and the drive mounting portion has a gear that meshes with a rack disposed on the housing assembly. The rack is adapted to move up and down under the action of the drive element to drive the gear and the extension arm to rotate.

[0026] In a top view, the first and second carrier films have circular outer contours; the extension arms are multiple and evenly distributed in the edge regions of the first and / or second carrier films.

[0027] A rigid washer is provided between the pressing part of the extension arm and the first and / or the second carrier film, and the washer covers the edge area of ​​the first and / or the second carrier film.

[0028] The zoom lens further includes a first lens component, which includes a first lens barrel and a first lens installed inside the first lens barrel. The outer side of the first lens barrel is installed in the light-transmitting hole of the housing assembly. The first lens component is located at the object-side end of the zoom lens assembly. The first lens is a convex lens.

[0029] According to another aspect of this application, a zoom camera module is provided, comprising: a zoom lens of any of the aforementioned schemes; and a photosensitive assembly, wherein the bottom surface of the zoom lens is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive assembly.

[0030] The housing assembly includes a driver base and a housing covering the driver base. The driver base includes a base plate and a driver bracket extending upward from the base plate. The second lens component is adapted to move relative to the second base under the drive of a compensation drive element. The bottom surface of the second base rests on and is mounted on the upper surface of the driver base, and the lower surface of the driver base rests on and is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive component.

[0031] The housing assembly includes a driver base and a housing covering the driver base. The driver base includes a base plate and a driver bracket extending upward from the base plate. The second lens component is adapted to move relative to the second base under the drive of a compensation drive element. The second base is disposed inside the driver base, and the lower surfaces of both the driver base and the second base abut against and are mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive component.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least one of the following technical effects:

[0033] 1. This application separates the driving element from the deformable light-transmitting body and the carrier film of the zoom lens, and presses or pulls the carrier film through the transmission action of the extension arm, thereby reducing the space occupied by the zoom lens in the z-axis direction while realizing the zoom function.

[0034] 2. In this application, in the zoom lens assembly, the bearing film can be bent by applying force through the extension arm, thereby realizing the zoom function. This design allows the driving element to be limited to the piezoelectric driving element, which helps to reduce the cost of the device.

[0035] 3. In this application, the zoom lens assembly does not need to be manufactured using semiconductor processes. For example, it does not need to use semiconductor processes to directly form the various functional layers of the piezoelectric element on the carrier film. Therefore, it helps to reduce the production cost of zoom lenses and camera modules, and also helps to improve the production yield of zoom lenses and camera modules.

[0036] 4. In some embodiments of this application, deformable lenses (i.e., deformable light-transmitting bodies and their carrier films) can be used in combination with commercially available mature driving elements (such as electromagnetic driving elements or piezoelectric driving elements), which helps to reduce the production cost of zoom lenses and camera modules, while also helping to improve the production yield of zoom lenses and camera modules.

[0037] 5. In some embodiments of this application, the image plane axial shift caused by the zoom process of the zoom lens assembly can be compensated by the z-axis movement of the second lens component, thereby improving the image quality.

[0038] 6. In some embodiments of this application, the optical center shift (referring to the shift of the optical center on the xoy plane) caused by the change in the surface shape of the deformable lens can be compensated by moving the second lens component along the x-axis and y-axis, thereby improving the imaging quality.

[0039] 7. In some embodiments of this application, the configuration parameters corresponding to different focal length values ​​within the zoom range can be calibrated before the zoom camera module leaves the factory. For example, the optical center offset and image plane axial offset corresponding to different focal length values ​​can be calibrated based on actual measurement results (e.g., actual imaging results collected by the image sensor), and the configuration parameters for compensating for the aforementioned offsets corresponding to the focal length value can be recorded. Thus, when using the zoom camera module, if it is necessary to adjust to a certain focal length value, the recorded configuration parameters can be read to compensate for the offset caused by zooming, thereby obtaining better image quality.

[0040] 8. The zoom lens of this application is particularly suitable for situations where the radial dimension of the camera module's head is small while the radial dimension of its shoulders can be larger. For example, for a front-facing camera, reducing the radial dimension of its head will help improve the screen-to-body ratio and also help reduce the size of the punch-hole display. In the design of this application, due to the reduced radial dimension of the head, a zoom lens can be applied to the front-facing camera, thereby enriching the functionality of the front-facing camera.

[0041] 9. In some embodiments of this application, a rigid washer may be provided between the pressing part of the extension arm and the carrier film, so that the force applied to the elastic carrier film is more uniform, and the uneven deformation of the carrier film is avoided, which would lead to a decrease in imaging quality. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 A longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a zoom camera module according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0043] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a deformable zoom lens according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0044] Figure 3 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of applying a downward or upward force to the edge region of a zoom lens in one embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 4 An embodiment of this application is shown based on Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the deformation of the zoom lens after the force is applied.

[0046] Figure 5 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of applying a downward or upward tensile force to the edge region of a zoom lens in one embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 6 An embodiment of this application is shown based on Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the deformation of the zoom lens after the force is applied.

[0048] Figure 7a An exploded perspective view of a zoom lens in one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0049] Figure 7b This diagram illustrates a zoom lens in one embodiment of the present application from a top-view angle.

[0050] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the connection relationship of the carrier membrane, extension arm, and housing assembly in a modified embodiment of this application is illustrated.

[0051] Figure 9a An example is shown where the extension arm is connected to the housing assembly via a rack and pinion;

[0052] Figure 9b Another example is shown where the extension arm is connected to the housing assembly via a rack and pinion;

[0053] Figure 10 A top view schematic diagram of a zoom lens assembly according to a modified embodiment of this application is shown;

[0054] Figure 11A longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a zoom camera module according to another embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0055] To better understand this application, various aspects of this application will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these detailed descriptions are merely illustrative of exemplary embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of this application in any way. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. The expression "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0056] It should be noted that in this specification, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish one feature from another and do not imply any limitation on the features. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this application, the first subject discussed below may also be referred to as the second subject.

[0057] In the accompanying drawings, the thickness, size, and shape of the objects have been slightly exaggerated for ease of illustration. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn to scale.

[0058] It should also be understood that the terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, indicate the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. Furthermore, when expressions such as "at least one of..." appear after a list of listed features, they modify the entire listed feature, not individual elements in the list. Additionally, when describing embodiments of this application, the word "may" is used to mean "one or more embodiments of this application." And the term "exemplary" is intended to refer to an example or illustration.

[0059] As used herein, the terms “basically,” “approximately,” and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than terms of degree, and are intended to describe inherent biases in measured or calculated values ​​that will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0060] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should also be understood that terms (e.g., those defined in common dictionaries) shall be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so specified herein.

[0061] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0062] Figure 1 A longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a zoom camera module according to an embodiment of this application is shown. (Reference) Figure 1 In this embodiment, the zoom camera module includes a zoom lens and a photosensitive assembly 200. The zoom lens includes a first lens component 110, a second lens component 140, a zoom lens assembly 130, and a housing assembly 120. The first lens component 110, the zoom lens assembly 130, and the second lens component 140 are arranged sequentially along the optical axis, forming the optical system of the zoom lens. Furthermore, the first lens component 110, the zoom lens assembly 130, and the second lens component 140 are disposed inside the housing assembly 120, which has a light-transmitting aperture to allow light to enter the optical system. The photosensitive assembly 200 includes components such as a photosensitive chip, a circuit board, a filter, and a filter holder. The zoom lens is mounted on the photosensitive assembly 200. In this embodiment, the improvement mainly involves the zoom lens, which will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] In the zoom lens, the zoom lens assembly 130 includes a deformable light-transmitting body 132, a first carrier film 131, a second carrier film 133, an extension arm 134, and a driving element 135. Further, Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a deformable zoom lens according to one embodiment of this application is shown. (Referring to the reference...) Figure 1 and Figure 2The first carrier film 131 is located above the second carrier film 133; therefore, the first carrier film 131 can also be called the upper carrier film, and the second carrier film 133 can also be called the lower carrier film. A deformable light-transmitting body 132 is located between the upper and lower carrier films. In this embodiment, the upper side is the object side, and the lower side is the image side. The upper surface of the lower carrier film is the carrier surface (first carrier surface), and the lower surface of the upper carrier film is the carrier surface (second carrier surface). The deformable light-transmitting body 132 is sandwiched between the two carrier surfaces. The deformable light-transmitting body 132 can be colloidal, and its surface shape can change with the bending of the upper and lower carrier films, thereby changing the curvature of the upper and lower surfaces of the deformable light-transmitting body 132, and thus changing the focal length of the zoom lens assembly 130. In this embodiment, both the upper and lower carrier films are made of light-transmitting material. The upper and lower carrier films can have a certain rigidity to clamp the deformable light-transmitting body 132. Meanwhile, the upper and lower supporting films also possess a certain degree of elasticity, allowing them to bend when pressed or stretched at their edges. In other words, the elastic modulus of the upper and lower supporting films can be greater than that of the deformable light-transmitting body 132, but the elastic modulus of the upper and lower supporting films is less than a preset upper limit, thus retaining a certain deformation capacity so that it can bend under external force. More specifically, in this embodiment, by selecting materials with suitable strength, hardness, shear modulus, and elastic modulus, the deformable light-transmitting body 132 can be formed independently and deformed under the compression or stretching of the supporting films. Furthermore, the deformable light-transmitting body 132 can be clamped by the upper and lower supporting films, without needing to be completely encased in a restraint device like a liquid lens. Specifically, the material used to make the deformable light-transmitting body is neither rigid nor rigid, but possesses a certain strength and hardness to give it a certain shape retention capacity. For example, for a deformable light-transmitting body with a preset thickness, the strength and hardness of its material should be sufficient to prevent problems such as edge collapse or central depression. On the other hand, the material used to manufacture the deformable light-transmitting body has an appropriate shear modulus, which refers to the ratio of shear stress to shear strain under shear stress within the elastic deformation ratio limit. It characterizes the material's ability to resist shear strain. A large modulus indicates high material rigidity. In this embodiment, the shear modulus of the deformable light-transmitting body should be suitable for deformation of its surface shape when pressed or stretched in the edge region (edge ​​region of the supporting membrane), and this deformation should be regular, predictable, and programmable. In this embodiment, the direction of pressing or stretching is parallel to the optical axis, and the force applied in this direction will cause shear stress in the deformable light-transmitting body. Elastic modulus is a physical quantity describing the elasticity of a material. Selecting an appropriate elastic modulus can facilitate the setting of the driving force and driving method of the driving element. In this embodiment, the material used to manufacture the deformable light-transmitting body can have a certain molecular / crystal structure, thereby achieving regular deformation.For example, the deformable transparent body can be made of a material based on siloxane series components. Technical details of this siloxane series components can be found in the siloxane series components disclosed in Chinese Patent CN201310419470.7 for transparent optical device elements.

[0064] Furthermore, still referencing Figure 1 One end (first end) of the extension arm 134 is connected to the carrier film (upper or lower carrier film), and the other end (second end) is connected to the drive element 135. Specifically, the first end of the extension arm 134 may be located at its top, and this first end may have a pressing portion 134a, which may be flat and bonded to the upper or lower surface of the carrier film (or connected by a heat-sealing process). From a top view, the pressing portion 134a is located in the edge region of the carrier film. The pressing portion 134a extends outward to the periphery of the carrier film, then extends downward, forming a drive mounting portion 134c at the second end of the extension arm 134. This drive mounting portion 134c can mount the drive element 135. The driving element 135 can be a piezoelectric element, which can extend and retract along the z-axis direction (the z-axis direction is the optical axis direction of the zoom lens) under the action of a control voltage, thereby driving the extension arm 134 and its pressing part 134a to move in the z-axis direction, thereby applying downward and upward pressing force to the edge area of ​​the carrier film. Figure 3 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of applying downward and upward pressing pressure to the edge region of a zoom lens in one embodiment of this application; Figure 4 An embodiment of this application is shown based on Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the deformation of a zoom lens after applying force. (Reference) Figure 3 and Figure 4 In this embodiment, when the edge region of the first carrier film 131 is pressed downwards and the edge region of the second carrier film 133 is pressed upwards, the first carrier film 131 bends downwards and the second carrier film 133 bends upwards, making the upper and lower surfaces of the deformable light-transmitting body 132 convex. The curvature of these surfaces is determined by the magnitude of the applied pressure. Thus, the focal length of the zoom lens can be changed by controlling the magnitude of the pressure applied to the edge region of the zoom lens. Similarly, Figure 5 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of applying a downward or upward tensile force to the edge region of a zoom lens in one embodiment of this application; Figure 6 An embodiment of this application is shown based on Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the deformation of a zoom lens after applying force. (Reference) Figure 5 and Figure 6In this embodiment, when the edge region of the first carrier film 131 is stretched upward and the edge region of the second carrier film 133 is stretched downward, the first carrier film 131 bends upward and the second carrier film 133 bends downward, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the deformable light-transmitting body 132 are both concave, and their curvature is determined by the magnitude of the applied tensile force. In this way, the focal length of the zoom lens can be changed by controlling the magnitude of the tensile force applied to the edge region of the zoom lens.

[0065] Further, refer to Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the first lens component 110 is arranged at the foremost end of the zoom lens, i.e., the end closest to the object side. The first lens component 110 includes a first lens barrel 112 and a first lens 111 mounted within the first lens barrel 112. The object-side surface of the first lens 111 is convex, and the image-side surface is flat. In this embodiment, the first lens component 110 has only one first lens 111, but in other modified embodiments of this application, the first lens component 110 may have multiple first lenses 111. The outer surface of the first lens barrel can be mounted in the light-transmitting hole of the housing assembly 120. In this embodiment, the first lens component 110 is positioned at the front end of the zoom lens to protect it. Since both the deformable light-transmitting body and the carrier film must possess deformable characteristics, their strength is weaker than that of a typical rigid lens, making them prone to damage upon contact with the outside world. The first lens component 110, positioned at the foremost end, can protect the zoom lens (including the deformable light-transmitting body and the carrier film). Furthermore, when the first lens 111 of the first lens component 110 is a convex lens (at least one of its optical surfaces is convex), it has a light-convexity converging effect, thereby increasing the amount of light entering the camera module.

[0066] Still referencing Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, the housing assembly 120 may include a housing 121 and a driver base 122. The driver base 122 may include a base plate 122b and a driver bracket 122a extending upward from the base plate 122b. The housing 121 may cover the driver base 122 to form the housing assembly 120. The driver bracket 122a may be used to mount a drive element 135. Specifically, the drive element 135 may be an electromagnetic drive element, which generally includes a coil and a magnet. In this embodiment, the magnet may be mounted at the second end of the extension arm 134 of the zoom lens assembly 130 (i.e., mounted on the drive mounting portion 134c of the extension arm 134), and the coil may be mounted on the driver bracket 122a. The coil and the magnet are arranged opposite to each other to form an electromagnetic drive force. When a driving current is applied to the coil, the magnet can generate an upward or downward force under the action of electromagnetic induction, so as to drive the extension arm 134 to move along the z-axis, and then apply an upward or downward force to the edge area of ​​the carrier film through the pressing part 134a of the extension arm 134, so as to bend the carrier film.

[0067] Still referencing Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the second lens component 140 includes a second lens barrel 142 and a plurality of second lenses 141. The inner surface of the second lens barrel 142 can form multiple steps. During assembly, the second lens barrel 142 can be inverted, and the plurality of second lenses 141 can be sequentially embedded into the multiple steps on the inner surface of the second lens barrel 142 from smallest to largest, thereby assembling the plurality of second lenses 141 into a single second lens group. Further, in this embodiment, the second lens component 140 can move along the z-axis. When the zoom lens assembly 130 changes, the focal length of the entire optical system will change, and the position of the image plane may also change, causing a deviation between the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive chip of the photosensitive component 200 and the actual image plane position. At this time, the image plane position offset can be compensated by moving the second lens component 140 along the z-axis, thereby making the actual image plane position after zooming coincide with the photosensitive surface, thus improving image quality. In this embodiment, the second lens component 140 may have a separate driving element. To distinguish it from the driving element of the zoom lens assembly 130, the driving element of the second lens component 140 may be referred to as the compensation driving element 143. The compensation driving element 143 may be an electromagnetic driving element. Of course, in other embodiments, the compensation driving element 143 may also be a driving element of other types besides an electromagnetic driving element.

[0068] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, the driving element of the second lens component is also adapted to drive the second lens component to move in the x-axis and y-axis directions. Both the x-axis and y-axis are coordinate axes perpendicular to the z-axis, and are mutually perpendicular. In this embodiment, the zoom lens may further include a zoom compensation logic module, which controls the driving signal of the compensation driving element so that the amount of movement of the second lens component in the x-axis and y-axis directions matches the offset of the optical center of the zoom lens assembly in the xoy plane caused by the deformation of the deformable light-transmitting body. In this application, the driving element is disposed on the lower side of the zoom lens (deformable light-transmitting body and carrier film). When the zoom lens assembly zooms, the driving force provided by the driving element is applied to the edge region of the carrier film through the extension arm. This places certain requirements on the assembly accuracy of the extension arm. When the assembly of the extension arm introduces a certain error, causing a shift in the optical center position during the deformation of the deformable light-transmitting body, compensation can be made through the zoom compensation logic module, thereby ensuring the imaging quality of the camera module. In this embodiment, the camera module can be calibrated at different focal lengths (or different focal lengths) before the product leaves the factory, and the optical center offset and its compensation parameters of the zoom lens assembly corresponding to each focal length can be recorded (each focal length and its corresponding compensation parameters can be programmed into the zoom compensation logic module, for example). The compensation parameters may include the control parameters of the compensation drive element, which are used to control the second lens component to make a corresponding offset in the xoy plane in order to correct the optical axis of the entire optical imaging system.

[0069] Furthermore, still referencing Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the upper carrier film can be referred to as the first carrier film 131, and the lower carrier film can be referred to as the second carrier film 133. The first carrier film 131 is connected to the first driving element via a first extension arm, and the second carrier film 133 is connected to the second driving element via a second extension arm. Multiple first extension arms can be present, and in a top view, the outer contour of the first carrier film 131 can be circular. The pressing portions 134a of the multiple first extension arms are evenly distributed in the edge region of the first carrier film 131. Similarly, multiple second extension arms can be present, and in a top view, the outer contour of the second carrier film 133 can be circular. The pressing portions 134a of the multiple second extension arms are evenly distributed in the edge region of the second carrier film 133. This design allows the force exerted by the extension arms on the carrier film to be more uniform, suppressing the deformation process of the deformable light-transmitting body 132 and the carrier film from causing the optical center of the zoom lens assembly 130 to shift in the xoy plane.

[0070] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, the pressing portions 134a of the plurality of first extension arms can be fused together to form an annular pressing ring. This pressing ring can rest against the edge region of the carrier film, thereby making the force on the carrier film more uniform and better suppressing the optical center of the zoom lens assembly 130 from shifting in the xoy plane due to the deformation process of the deformable light-transmitting body 132 and the carrier film. In a modified embodiment, the pressing portion 134a of each first extension arm can be arc-shaped, and the pressing portions 134a of the plurality of first extension arms can together form a generally annular shape. The difference between this modified embodiment and the previous embodiment is that the pressing portions 134a of the plurality of first extension arms can be separated from each other, that is, adjacent pressing portions 134a may not be fused together. This embodiment can also make the force on the carrier film more uniform, thereby better suppressing the optical center of the zoom lens assembly 130 from shifting in the xoy plane due to the deformation process of the deformable light-transmitting body 132 and the carrier film.

[0071] Furthermore, in an improved embodiment, a rigid washer can be provided between the pressing part 134a and the carrier film (which can be the first carrier film 131 and / or the second carrier film 133) to make the force on the carrier film more uniform. In this case, the pressing part 134a does not need to form an annular or arc shape when viewed from above; that is, the shape of the pressing part 134a when viewed from above can be rectangular or a simple rectangular configuration. Specifically, Figure 7a An exploded perspective view of a zoom lens in one embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 7b This diagram illustrates a zoom lens according to one embodiment of the present application from a top-down perspective. (Reference) Figure 7a and Figure 7bIn this embodiment, the zoom lens further includes two rigid washers 136 suitable for covering the edge region of the carrier film. Specifically, the zoom lens may include a first carrier film 131, a deformable light-transmitting body 132, a second carrier film 133, and two rigid washers 136. The two washers are respectively disposed on the upper surface of the first carrier film 131 and the lower surface of the second carrier film 133. From a top-viewing angle, the washer 136 is annular and has a through hole 139a that avoids the imaging channel, so as to prevent the light incident on the deformable light-transmitting body 132 from being blocked. The through hole 139a can be circular or a composite shape that is approximately circular (for example, the through hole 139a in the center of the washer 136 shown in FIG. 7 is a circle with four notches 139b). From a top-viewing angle, the area of ​​the central through hole 139a of the washer 136 can be larger than the area of ​​the deformable light-transmitting body 132. The washer 136 can be adhered to the upper surface of the first carrier film 131 and the lower surface of the second carrier film 133, thereby covering the edge area of ​​the upper surface of the first carrier film 131 and the edge area of ​​the lower surface of the second carrier film 133. The pressing part of the extension arm can be adhered to the washer 136. Specifically, the first extension arm can be adhered to the upper surface of the washer 136 of the first carrier film 131, and the second extension arm can be adhered to the lower surface of the washer 136 of the second carrier film 133. In this way, when the pressing part applies an upward or downward force, the force is first transmitted to the washer 136, and then evenly applied to the edge areas of the first carrier film 131 and the second carrier film 133, thereby making the force on the first carrier film 131 and the second carrier film 133 more uniform, thus ensuring the zoom control accuracy of the zoom lens and ensuring the imaging quality of the camera module.

[0072] Furthermore, still referencing Figure 7a and Figure 7b In one embodiment of this application, from a top-down view, the radius of the outer contour 139 of the gasket is larger than the radius of the outer contour 138 of the carrier film, and the radius of the outer contour 138 of the carrier film is larger than the radius of the outer contour 137 of the deformable light-transmitting body. The deformable light-transmitting body 132 is adhered to the upper and lower carrier films (i.e., the first carrier film 131 and the second carrier film 133) by adhesive material, wherein the adhesive application area 138a of the adhesive material is annular, that is, the adhesive material can avoid the central area of ​​the deformable light-transmitting body 132.

[0073] Furthermore, still referencing Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, the thickness of the pressing portion 134a in the extension arm is less than the thickness of the drive mounting portion 134c. Thickness refers to the dimension in the z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the carrier film is typically located near the optical axis in the area where optical elements are arranged. If the thickness of the pressing portion 134a in its edge region is too large, it may lead to an increase in the overall height of the zoom lens or zoom camera module (height is the dimension in the z-axis direction of the zoom lens or zoom camera module). In this embodiment, through the design of the extension arm, the drive element can be moved to the peripheral area of ​​the optical element, thereby avoiding interference between the drive element and the mounting positions of the first lens component 110 and the second lens component 140, which helps to reduce the overall height of the zoom lens or zoom camera module. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thickness of the pressing portion 134a of the extension arm can be compressed to maintain basic structural strength, thereby further reducing the space occupied by the zoom lens assembly 130 in the optical element arrangement area (mainly referring to the space occupied in the height direction). On the other hand, the thickness of the drive mounting portion 134c of the extension arm can be appropriately increased, thereby giving it greater structural strength and making it easier to install the drive element.

[0074] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, one of the upper and lower carrier films may be doped with a light-filtering material, thereby enabling the carrier film to have a light-filtering function. In this way, the light filter in the photosensitive component 200 can be omitted, thereby helping to reduce the height of the camera module.

[0075] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, the lower support film can be rigid, and the rigid lower support film can also be referred to as a support plate. The support plate can be used only to support the deformable light-transmitting body 132, without changing the surface shape of the lower surface of the deformable light-transmitting body 132. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the support plate can also be doped with a light-filtering material, thereby giving the support film a light-filtering function. This eliminates the need for a light filter in the photosensitive component 200, thus helping to reduce the height of the camera module.

[0076] In the above embodiments, the extension arms of the zoom lens assembly 130 all have an extension portion 134b formed by bending downward from the pressing portion 134a. The two ends of the extension portion 134b are respectively connected to the pressing portion 134a and the drive mounting portion 134c, and the position of the drive mounting portion 134c is lower than the position of the pressing portion 134a. The extension portions 134b are all disposed on the periphery of the second lens component 140, and their placement ensures that they do not interfere with the second lens component 140. However, it should be noted that the extension arms and their driving methods are not unique in this application. For example, in a modified embodiment of this application, the extension arm can be in a horizontal position and movably connected to the housing assembly 120 via a gear and rack assembly, thereby realizing the vertical movement of the extension arm (i.e., movement along the z-axis).

[0077] Figure 8 A schematic diagram illustrating the connection relationship between the support membrane, the extension arm, and the housing assembly in a modified embodiment of this application is shown. Further, Figure 9a An example is shown where the extension arm is connected to the housing assembly via a gear and rack. Figure 9b Another example is shown where the extension arm is connected to the housing assembly via a rack and pinion. (Reference) Figure 8 In a modified embodiment, one end of the first extension arm is provided with a pressing portion 134a, which rests against and adheres to the edge region of the first carrier film 131. The other end of the first extension arm is provided with a rack portion, which meshes with a gear provided on the housing assembly 120. When the gear rotates, the rack portion is driven to move up and down along the z-axis, thereby causing the first extension arm to press down or pull up the edge region of the first carrier film 131, thereby causing the first carrier film 131 to bend down or up, thereby changing the surface shape (e.g., the curvature of its upper surface) of the deformable light-transmitting body 132, and thus realizing the function of adjusting the focal length of the zoom lens assembly 130. Similarly, one end of the second extension arm may be provided with a pressing portion 134a, which rests against the edge region of the lower surface of the second carrier film 133. The other end of the second extension arm may also be provided with a rack portion, which meshes with a gear provided on the housing assembly 120 to form a movable connection, so that the second bearing film 133 can also be bent upward or downward under the drive of the gear rotation, thereby changing the surface shape (e.g., the curvature of its lower surface) of the deformable light-transmitting body 132.

[0078] Furthermore, in conjunction with references Figure 8 and Figure 9b In another modified embodiment of this application, the extension arm and the housing assembly 120 are movably connected by a gear and rack. Specifically, a gear is provided at the end of the extension arm, and a rack is provided in the housing assembly 120. When the rack moves up and down along the z-axis, the gear rotates accordingly, thereby driving the extension arm to rotate (e.g., ...). Figure 9b (as shown), thereby causing the edge area of ​​the carrier membrane to bend upward or downward.

[0079] Furthermore, in the two modified embodiments described above, the first extension arm and the second extension arm can serve as the upper clamping piece 1341 and the lower clamping piece 1342, respectively. The upper clamping piece 1341 and the lower clamping piece 1342 are combined to form a clamp for holding the edge regions of the first carrier film 131 and the second carrier film 133. The clamping or disengaging of the clamp can control the degree of curvature of the first carrier film 131 and the second carrier film 133, thereby adjusting the focal length of the zoom lens assembly 130.

[0080] Furthermore, in the two modified embodiments described above, the housing assembly 120 may include a housing 121 and a driver base 122. The driver base 122 includes a base plate 122b and a driver bracket 122a extending upward from the base plate 122b. The gear or rack may be disposed on the driver bracket 122a. A drive element for driving the gear or rack disposed on the housing assembly 120 may be disposed on the base plate 122b or other areas close to the image plane (referring to areas closer to the image plane than the carrier film).

[0081] Furthermore, Figure 10 A top view schematic diagram of a zoom lens assembly according to a modified embodiment of this application is shown. (Reference) Figure 10 In this embodiment, there can be multiple sets of extension arms and driver brackets 122a. Extension arms and corresponding driver brackets 122a can be evenly arranged around the perimeter of the carrier membrane. For each carrier membrane, four extension arms can be arranged in its edge region, and these four extension arms can be respectively arranged in the positive x-axis direction, the negative x-axis direction, the positive y-axis direction, and the negative y-axis direction.

[0082] Furthermore, still referencing Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the zoom lens is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive assembly 200. Specifically, the housing assembly 120 of the zoom lens has a driver base 122, the bottom surface of which is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive assembly 200. A compensation drive element 143 of the second lens component 140 is mounted on the second base 144, allowing the second lens component to move relative to the second base 144 under the action of the compensation drive element 143. In one embodiment, the degree of freedom of movement of the second lens component 140 may include the z-axis direction. In a preferred embodiment, the degree of freedom of movement of the second lens component 140 may include the z-axis direction as well as the x and y-axis directions. The bottom surface of the second base 144 can rest against and be mounted on the upper surface of the driver base 122, thereby fixing the second base 144 to the housing assembly 120 and forming a single unit.

[0083] Figure 11 A longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a zoom camera module according to another embodiment of this application is shown. This embodiment is similar to... Figure 1 The illustrated embodiments are largely the same, differing only in that in this embodiment, the second base 144 directly rests against and is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive component 200. Furthermore, the second base 144 is located inside the driver base 122, rather than on its upper surface. This design allows the second lens component 140 to be positioned at a lower angle, closer to the image side, thereby reducing the overall height of the zoom camera module.

[0084] Furthermore, in conjunction with references Figure 1 and Figure 11 In some embodiments of this application, the photosensitive assembly 200 may include a circuit board 210, a photosensitive chip 220 mounted on the upper surface of the circuit board 210, electronic components 250 mounted on the upper surface of the circuit board 210 and surrounding the photosensitive chip 220, metal wires 260 electrically connecting the photosensitive chip 220 and the circuit board 210, a molded support portion 230 (also referred to as a molded encapsulation portion) covering the electronic components 250 and the metal wires 260, and a filter 240 mounted on the molded support portion 230. The metal wires 260 may be, for example, gold wires formed by wire bonding. The electronic components 250 may be capacitors, resistors, etc. The molded support portion 230 may be directly formed on the upper surface of the circuit board 210 using a molding process. The molded support portion 239 is located around the photosensitive chip 220 and extends inward to cover the edge area of ​​the photosensitive chip 220. The molded support portion 230 may have a stepped structure to accommodate the filter 240. In some previous patents, the above-described manufacturing process of the photosensitive component is sometimes referred to as the MOC process. For a photosensitive component based on the MOC process, the top surface of the photosensitive component can be the top surface of its molded support portion. Since the molded support portion is manufactured using a molding process, its top surface can have good flatness, facilitating the mounting of the zoom lens. In this embodiment, the molded support portion also serves as a filter holder. It should be noted that the photosensitive component of this application is not limited to a photosensitive component manufactured using the MOC process. For example, the photosensitive component can also be manufactured using the MOB process, where the molded support portion is directly molded onto the surface of the circuit board using a molding process, but the molded support portion does not contact the photosensitive chip; the molded support portion only surrounds the photosensitive chip. Alternatively, the photosensitive component can be assembled from a conventionally separately molded filter holder and a circuit board (wherein, the filter holder mounts the filter, and the photosensitive chip is attached to the surface of the circuit board).

[0085] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of the present invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A zoom lens, characterized in that, include: Housing assembly having light-transmitting holes; The second lens assembly includes a second lens barrel and a plurality of second lenses mounted on the inner side of the second lens barrel; A zoom lens assembly located at one end of the second lens component near the object side; the zoom lens assembly includes a first carrier film located above, a second carrier film located below, a deformable light-transmitting body located between the first carrier film and the second carrier film, an extension arm, and a drive element; The deformable light-transmitting body is colloidal, and its surface shape changes with the bending of the first carrier film and / or the second carrier film. The extension arm includes a pressing portion, an extension portion, and a drive mounting portion. The pressing portion rests against and is fixed to the edge region of the first or second carrier film. The pressing portion is located at one end of the extension portion, which is formed by bending downward from the pressing portion and extending obliquely downward and outward. The drive mounting portion is located at the other end of the extension portion and mounts the drive element. The thickness of the pressing portion is less than the thickness of the drive mounting portion, and the thickness of the pressing portion is configured to be small enough to maintain its basic structural strength. The driving element is adapted to drive the extension arm to move along the z-axis direction, thereby causing the first carrier film and / or the second carrier film to bend through the pressing part, so as to change the surface profile of the deformable light-transmitting body; wherein the z-axis is parallel to the optical axis of the zoom lens; The second lens component is driven by a compensation drive element and is adapted to move along the x-axis and y-axis under the drive of the compensation drive element; the zoom lens also includes a zoom compensation logic module for controlling the drive signal of the compensation drive element so that the amount of movement of the second lens component in the x-axis and y-axis directions is adapted to the offset of the optical center of the zoom lens assembly caused by the deformation of the deformable light-transmitting body.

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving element is a piezoelectric element, one end of which is mounted on the driving mounting part and the other end of which is mounted on the housing assembly. The extension arm is adapted to rise or fall along the z-axis under the drive of the piezoelectric element.

3. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving element is an electromagnetic driving element.

4. The zoom lens according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electromagnetic drive element includes a coil and a magnet; wherein the magnet is mounted on the drive mounting part, the coil is mounted on the housing assembly, and the coil and the magnet are arranged opposite to each other, such that the extension arm is adapted to rise or fall along the z-axis under the action of the electromagnetic drive element.

5. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the extended arm, the pressing part is positioned higher on the z-axis than the drive mounting part is positioned on the z-axis.

6. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes a driver base and a housing covering the driver base, the driver base including a base plate and a driver support extending upward from the base plate.

7. The zoom lens according to claim 6, characterized in that, The driving element is an electromagnetic driving element, which includes a coil and a magnet. The coil is mounted on the driver bracket, and the magnet is mounted on the driving mounting part.

8. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deformable light-transmitting body is in a colloidal state. The elastic modulus of the first carrier film is greater than that of the deformable light-transmitting body, and the elastic modulus of the first carrier film is less than a preset upper limit, so that the first carrier film can bend under the action of external force.

9. The zoom lens according to claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic modulus of the second carrier film is greater than that of the deformable light-transmitting body, and the elastic modulus of the second carrier film is less than a preset upper limit, so that the second carrier film bends under the action of external force.

10. The zoom lens according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second bearing membrane is a rigid bearing plate.

11. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second lens component is also adapted to move along the z-axis under the drive of the compensation drive element; The zoom lens also includes an image plane offset compensation logic module, which controls the drive signal of the compensation drive element to move the second lens component in the z-axis direction to compensate for the offset of the image plane position in the z-axis direction caused by the deformation of the deformable light-transmitting body.

12. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, From a top-down view, the first and second carrier films have circular outer contours; the extension arms are multiple and evenly distributed in the edge regions of the first and / or second carrier films.

13. The zoom lens according to claim 12, characterized in that, A rigid washer is provided between the pressing part of the extension arm and the first and / or the second carrier film, and the washer covers the edge area of ​​the first and / or the second carrier film.

14. The zoom lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The zoom lens further includes a first lens component, which includes a first lens barrel and a first lens installed inside the first lens barrel. The outer side of the first lens barrel is installed in the light-transmitting hole of the housing assembly. The first lens component is located at the object-side end of the zoom lens assembly. The first lens is a convex lens.

15. A zoom camera module, characterized in that, include: The zoom lens according to any one of claims 1-14; as well as A photosensitive component, wherein the bottom surface of the zoom lens is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive component.

16. The zoom camera module according to claim 15, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes a driver base and a housing covering the driver base, the driver base including a base plate and a driver support extending upward from the base plate; The second lens component is adapted to move relative to the second base under the drive of a compensation drive element; The bottom surface of the second base rests on and is mounted on the upper surface of the driver base, and the lower surface of the driver base rests on and is mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive component.

17. The zoom camera module according to claim 16, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes a driver base and a housing covering the driver base, the driver base including a base plate and a driver support extending upward from the base plate; The second lens component is adapted to move relative to the second base under the drive of a compensation drive element; The second base is disposed inside the driver base, and the lower surfaces of both the driver base and the second base are supported and mounted on the top surface of the photosensitive component.

Images