Retractable camera module

Abstract

A retractable camera module is disclosed, comprising: a photosensitive assembly; and a retractable lens device held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive assembly; wherein the retractable lens device includes: a first driving element, a second driving element, and an optical lens, the optical lens being mounted within the second driving element. In an operational state, the first driving element is configured to drive the second driving element to move along the photosensitive path, and the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to achieve optical focusing. Thus, the retractable camera module utilizes the advantages of different types of drivers in terms of driving performance to meet the optical performance adjustment requirements of the camera module, such as a relatively long focusing stroke and relatively high focusing accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of camera modules, and more particularly to retractable camera modules, which utilize the advantages of different types of drivers in terms of driving performance to meet the optical performance adjustment requirements of the camera module, such as relatively long focusing stroke and relatively high focusing accuracy. Background Technology

[0002] With the development and widespread adoption of mobile electronic devices, the technology related to camera modules used in these devices to help users acquire images has developed and progressed rapidly. Currently, in the market, as living standards improve, consumers have increasingly higher and more diverse requirements for the functions of camera modules configured in mobile electronic devices (e.g., smartphones). For example, they not only require camera modules to achieve wide-angle shooting to capture images of the subject from a larger angle within a relatively short shooting distance, but also to achieve telephoto shooting capabilities to capture clear images of the subject at different distances through optical focusing.

[0003] Furthermore, to meet increasingly diverse market demands, smaller size and thinner profiles are an irreversible development trend for existing camera modules. However, to achieve telephoto shooting capabilities, camera modules need to be equipped with telephoto lenses with long focal lengths. This means that camera modules capable of telephoto shooting are relatively large and tall. Thus, it is difficult for camera modules to meet the requirements of small size and thinness while simultaneously achieving telephoto shooting functionality.

[0004] To address this, some camera modules are designed to switch between extended and retracted states, thereby reducing the overall height of the camera module. However, current retractable camera modules have some drawbacks in autofocus, such as short focusing distance and low focusing accuracy.

[0005] Therefore, a new type of telescopic camera module is needed to meet its requirements in terms of optical performance adjustment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One advantage of this application is that it provides a telescopic camera module that utilizes the advantages of different types of drivers in terms of driving performance to meet the optical performance adjustment requirements of the camera module, such as a relatively long focusing stroke and a relatively high focusing accuracy.

[0007] Other advantages and features of this application will become apparent from the following description and can be realized by means and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

[0008] To achieve at least one of the aforementioned advantages, according to one aspect of this application, a retractable camera module is provided, comprising:

[0009] Photosensitive components; and

[0010] A telescopic lens device held in the light-sensing path of the photosensitive component;

[0011] The telescopic lens device includes: a first driving element, a second driving element, and an optical lens, wherein the optical lens is installed inside the second driving element;

[0012] The first driving element and the second driving element are configured to drive the telescopic camera module to switch between a working state and a non-working state;

[0013] When in operation, the first driving element is configured to drive the second driving element to move along the photosensitive path, and the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to achieve optical focusing.

[0014] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, when in operation, the first driving element is configured to first drive the second driving element, on which the optical lens is mounted, to move along the light-sensing path to a first position; the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the light-sensing path after being driven to the first position by the first driving element to achieve optical focusing.

[0015] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic camera module further includes a housing for covering the photosensitive component and the telescopic lens device, the housing having an opening corresponding to the optical lens, wherein the first driving element and the second driving element have a height difference within the housing.

[0016] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, when in operation, the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the light-sensitive path to extend out of the opening of the housing after being driven to a first position by the first driving element.

[0017] In the retractable camera module according to this application, when in the working state, the focal plane of the optical lens is located at the imaging surface of the photosensitive component, and when in the non-working state, the focal plane of the optical lens is located behind the imaging surface of the photosensitive component.

[0018] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the first driving element is a stepper motor and the second driving element is a voice coil motor.

[0019] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic lens device further includes a base, and the stepper motor and the photosensitive component are mounted on the mounting surface of the base.

[0020] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the voice coil motor includes a movable carrier and a drive unit mounted on the movable carrier, the optical lens is mounted in the drive unit, and the stepper motor is configured to drive the movable carrier to move the drive unit with the optical lens mounted along the photosensitive path.

[0021] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the movable carrier includes a cylindrical body and a base extending outward from the lower periphery of the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body having a mounting cavity formed therein, and the drive unit being mounted in the mounting cavity.

[0022] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the cross-sectional shape of the mounting cavity is square.

[0023] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic lens device further includes a transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force generated by the stepper motor to the movable carrier, wherein the transmission mechanism includes a gear transmission assembly coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor and a transmission screw meshing with the gear transmission assembly, and the transmission screw is tractably coupled to the movable carrier.

[0024] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the movable carrier further includes a first movable connecting end extending outward from the base, and the transmission screw is tractably coupled to the first movable connecting end.

[0025] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the first movable connecting end has a threaded hole formed therein, and the transmission screw is tractably coupled into the threaded hole.

[0026] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the first movable connecting end has an opening formed therein, and the movable carrier further includes a transmission member disposed in the opening, the transmission member having an internal thread, and the transmission screw being tractably coupled to the internal thread of the transmission member.

[0027] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the transmission member and the transmission screw are made of metal material.

[0028] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the stepper motor is mounted at the corner of the base.

[0029] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic lens device further includes a guide mechanism for guiding the movable carrier to move along the photosensitive path.

[0030] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the guiding mechanism includes a first guiding portion and a second guiding portion, the first guiding portion being adjacent to the transmission screw, and the second guiding portion being disposed opposite to the first guiding portion.

[0031] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the first guide portion includes a second movable connecting end extending outward from the base and a first guide rod passing through the second movable connecting end, and the second guide portion includes a third movable connecting end extending outward from the base and a second guide rod passing through the third movable connecting end.

[0032] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the second movable connection end is disposed opposite to the third movable connection end.

[0033] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the first movable connection end and / or the second movable connection end and / or the third movable connection end are integrally formed with the substrate.

[0034] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic lens device further includes a magnet disposed on the movable carrier and a position sensing element disposed on the base, so as to determine the position of the movable carrier relative to the base through the cooperation between the position sensing element and the magnet.

[0035] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic lens device further includes: a telescopic sleeve extending between the movable carrier and the outer shell.

[0036] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the movable carrier, the outer shell and the telescopic sleeve are interconnected to form a first enclosed space, and the first driving element is located in the first enclosed space.

[0037] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic sleeve is made of a flexible material.

[0038] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the telescopic camera module further includes a light-transmitting cover covering the cylindrical body of the movable carrier, the light-transmitting cover forming a second sealed space with the movable carrier, and the driving unit on which the optical lens is mounted is located in the second sealed space.

[0039] In the telescopic camera module according to this application, the light-transmitting cover is a glass cover.

[0040] In the retractable camera module according to this application, the retractable camera module further includes a third driving element for moving the photosensitive component to perform optical image stabilization.

[0041] The further objectives and advantages of this application will become fully apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

[0042] These and other objects, features and advantages of this application are fully apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0044] Figure 1 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of a telescopic camera module in operation according to an embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure 2 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of a retractable camera module according to an embodiment of this application in a non-operating state.

[0046] Figure 3 The figure shows an exploded view of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0047] Figure 4 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the photosensitive component of a retractable camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Figure 5 The illustration shows a partial exploded view of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figure 6 The illustration shows another partial exploded view of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure 7 The illustration shows a partial exploded view of a modified embodiment of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Figure 8 The illustration shows a partial schematic diagram of a modified embodiment of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0052] Figure 9The illustration shows a movable carrier and a retractable sleeve of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0053] Figure 10 The illustration shows another partial exploded view of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0054] Figure 11 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the bottom of the base of the telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0055] Figure 12 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the top of the photosensitive component of a retractable camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0056] Figure 13 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the conductive structure of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0057] Figure 14 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the first conductive plate of a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of the present application. Detailed Implementation

[0058] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments of this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0059] Application Overview

[0060] As mentioned earlier, to achieve telephoto shooting functionality, the camera module needs to be equipped with a telephoto lens with a long focal length. This means that the overall size and height of the camera module capable of telephoto shooting are relatively large. Thus, it is difficult for the camera module to meet the requirements of small size and thinness while achieving telephoto shooting functionality.

[0061] To address this, some camera modules are designed to switch between extended and retracted states, thereby reducing the overall height of the camera module. However, current retractable camera modules have some drawbacks in autofocus, such as short focusing distance and low focusing accuracy.

[0062] Specifically, the camera module mainly uses a driver to control the distance between its optical lens and the photosensitive element, enabling the camera module to switch between extended and retracted states and achieve focusing. However, during the focusing process of the camera module, the current drivers used to drive the optical lens either provide insufficient driving force to meet the focusing stroke of the camera module, or achieve low focusing accuracy, making it difficult for the camera module to produce clear images.

[0063] Therefore, the problems of short focusing distance and low focusing accuracy are mainly caused by the driving performance of the driver used to drive the optical lens. Thus, optimizing the driver structure can solve these problems.

[0064] However, due to the different working principles of various drivers, their operating principles and structures inherently possess some limitations. For example, a stepper motor is a driver that converts electrical pulse signals into angular or linear displacement. The working principle of a stepper motor is: upon receiving a single pulse signal, its rotor rotates by a unit angle or advances a unit distance. The unit angle and unit distance depend on the stepper motor's step angle (the angle the rotor rotates for each pulse signal received). The rotor of a stepper motor can only rotate an angle that is a multiple of the step angle; for example, when the step angle is 1.8°, the rotor cannot rotate by 1.2°, 3.1°, etc. Therefore, although stepper motors can provide greater driving force and longer drive stroke, their operating principle and structure make it difficult to achieve highly precise driving.

[0065] Therefore, it seems difficult to solve the problems of short focusing stroke and low focusing accuracy by improving the driving performance of the driver. The inventors of this application considered that since the inherent defects of different drivers are difficult to avoid, the advantages of different drivers in driving performance can be used to improve the overall driving performance of the optical lens, so as to meet the focusing performance requirements of the telescopic camera module.

[0066] Based on this, this application proposes a retractable camera module, comprising: a photosensitive component; and a retractable lens device held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive component; wherein the retractable lens device comprises: a first driving element, a second driving element, and an optical lens, the optical lens being mounted within the second driving element; wherein the first driving element and the second driving element are configured to drive the retractable camera module to switch between an active state and an inactive state; wherein, when in the active state, the first driving element is configured to drive the second driving element to move along the photosensitive path, and the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to achieve optical focusing.

[0067] After introducing the basic principles of this application, various non-limiting embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0068] Exemplary retractable camera module

[0069] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, a telescopic camera module according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated, the telescopic camera module including: a photosensitive component 10 and a telescopic lens device 20 held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive component 10.

[0070] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the photosensitive component 10 includes a circuit board 11, a photosensitive chip 12 electrically connected to the circuit board 11, and a filter element 13 held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12. The circuit board 11 forms the mounting substrate of the photosensitive component 10. The circuit board 11 can be implemented as a printed circuit board (PCB), a reinforced flexible printed circuit board (FPC), or a rigid-flex board. The reinforced flexible printed circuit board includes stacked flexible printed circuit boards and a reinforcing plate disposed below the flexible printed circuit board. The reinforcing plate can be implemented as a steel sheet, which can not only strengthen the flexible printed circuit board but also improve the heat dissipation performance of the photosensitive component 10.

[0071] The photosensitive chip 12, electrically connected to the circuit board 11, includes a photosensitive area and a non-photosensitive area formed around the photosensitive area. The photosensitive function of the photosensitive chip 12 enables its photosensitive area to convert light signals into electrical signals after receiving light, that is, to achieve photoelectric conversion, so as to form an image through the imaging circuit.

[0072] Furthermore, in such Figure 4 In the illustrated example, the photosensitive assembly 10 further includes a bracket 14 disposed on the circuit board 11, wherein the filter element 13 is mounted on the bracket 14 to be held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12. In other embodiments of this application, the specific implementation of holding the filter element 13 on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12 is not limited to this application. For example, the filter element 13 may be implemented as a filter film and coated on the surface of an optical lens of the optical lens 21 of the telescopic lens device 20 to achieve a filtering effect. Alternatively, the filter element 13 may be further mounted on a filter element 13 bracket 14 (not shown in the figure), wherein the filter element 13 is held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12 by being mounted on the filter element 13 bracket 14.

[0073] It is worth mentioning that the photosensitive component 10 can be implemented as an encapsulated photosensitive component 10, that is, the circuit board 11, the photosensitive chip 12, the filter element 13, and the bracket 14 are integrally encapsulated to form a closed encapsulated photosensitive component 10, thereby improving the sealing of the photosensitive chip 12 and preventing the photosensitive chip 12 from being contaminated during the manufacturing or use of the camera module. Communication between the encapsulated photosensitive component 10 and other electronic devices can be achieved by providing a flexible printed circuit board and connectors that can communicate with the circuit board 11.

[0074] Specifically, in this embodiment, the telescopic camera module drives the optical lens 21 through two driving elements with different driving advantages to meet its focusing performance requirements. Accordingly, the telescopic lens device 20 includes: an optical lens 21, a first driving element 22, and a second driving element 23.

[0075] Specifically, the optical lens 21 is positioned along the light-sensing path of the photosensitive component 10 to receive imaging light from the target and ensure that the imaging light travels along the light-sensing path to the photosensitive component 10 for imaging. Optical focusing can be achieved by adjusting the distance between the optical lens 21 and the photosensitive component 10, enabling the retractable camera module to capture a clear image of the target.

[0076] In this embodiment, the first driving element 22 is selected from drivers capable of generating a large driving stroke to meet the focusing stroke requirements of the telescopic camera module; the second driving element 23 is selected from drivers with high driving accuracy to meet the focusing accuracy requirements of the telescopic camera module, thereby improving the imaging clarity of the telescopic camera module.

[0077] In a specific example, the first driving element 22 is a stepper motor, and the second driving element 23 is a voice coil motor. It should be understood that the first driving element 22 can also be other types of drivers capable of providing a longer drive stroke, such as a piezoelectric motor; this is not limited to this application. Similarly, the second driving element 23 can also be other types of drivers with higher driving precision, such as a shape memory alloy motor; this is also not limited to this application.

[0078] For ease of explanation and understanding, the telescopic camera module according to the embodiments of this application will be described below by taking the first driving element 22 as a stepper motor and the second driving element 23 as a voice coil motor as an example.

[0079] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the first driving element 22 and the second driving element 23 are configured to drive the retractable camera module to switch between an active state and an inactive state. When the retractable camera module is in the active state, the optical lens 21 is driven and extends; when the retractable camera module is in the inactive state, the optical lens 21 retracts to its original position, thereby reducing the overall height of the retractable camera module. When the retractable camera module is in the active state, the focal plane of the optical lens 21 is located on the imaging plane of the photosensitive component 10; when the retractable camera module is in the inactive state, the focal plane of the optical lens 21 is located behind the imaging plane of the photosensitive component 10.

[0080] Specifically, when the retractable camera module is in a non-operating state, the optical lens 21 is in its original position, close to the photosensitive component 10. The focal length of the optical lens 21 is greater than the distance between the optical lens 21 and the imaging surface of the photosensitive component 10, such that the focal plane of the optical lens 21 is located behind the imaging surface of the photosensitive component 10. When the retractable camera module is in an operating state, the optical lens 21 is extended and adjusted so that its focal plane coincides with the imaging surface, enabling the retractable camera module to capture a clear image.

[0081] Specifically, the optical lens 21 is installed inside the second driving element 23. When the telescopic camera module is in operation, the first driving element 22 is configured to drive the second driving element 23 to move along the light-sensing path, and the second driving element 23 is configured to drive the optical lens 21 to move along the light-sensing path to achieve optical focusing.

[0082] In a specific example of this application, when the telescopic camera module is in operation, the first driving element 22 is configured to first drive the second driving element 23, on which the optical lens 21 is mounted, to move along the light-sensing path to a first position; the second driving element 23 is configured to drive the optical lens 21 to move along the light-sensing path after being driven to the first position by the first driving element 22, so as to achieve optical focusing.

[0083] In this embodiment, the retractable camera module further includes an outer housing 30 covering the photosensitive component 10 and the retractable lens device 20. The outer housing 30 has an opening 301 corresponding to the optical lens 21, such as... Figure 3As shown. The outer shell 30 serves to protect the various components of the telescopic camera module, preventing them from detaching or being damaged due to external impacts. Furthermore, when the electromagnetic waves generated by the camera module during operation are emitted externally, they may affect other electronic devices, leading to communication errors or malfunctions. The outer shell 30 can block the electromagnetic waves generated by the camera module during operation, providing electromagnetic shielding. Preferably, the outer shell 30 is made of metal, which can provide electromagnetic shielding through grounding. The third frame carrier can also be made of plastic, which can block electromagnetic waves by coating its outer surface with a conductive layer; however, this is not limited to this application.

[0084] In this specific example, when the retractable camera module is in operation, the second driving element 23 is configured to drive the optical lens 21 to move along the photosensitive path to extend out of the opening 301 of the housing 30 after being driven to a first position by the first driving element 22. That is, under the drive of the first driving element 22 and the second driving element 23, the optical lens 21 can extend out of the opening 301 of the housing 30, causing the optical lens 21 to protrude from the housing 30.

[0085] It is worth mentioning that the first driving element 22 and the second driving element 23 have a height difference within the housing 30. In one specific embodiment, the installation height of the second driving element 23 within the housing 30 is higher than the installation height of the first driving element 22 within the housing 30.

[0086] It should be understood that the driving order of the first driving element 22 and the second driving element 23 is not limited to this application. For example, in other specific examples, while the first driving element 22 drives the second driving element 23 to move along the photosensitive path, the second driving element 23 drives the optical lens 21 to move along the photosensitive path; or, firstly, the second driving element 23 drives the optical lens 21 to move along the photosensitive path, and then the first driving element 22 drives the second driving element 23 to move along the photosensitive path.

[0087] like Figure 3As shown in this embodiment, the telescopic lens device 20 further includes a base 24. The stepper motor (first driving element 22) and the photosensitive component 10 are mounted on the mounting surface of the base 24. That is, the first driving element 22 and the photosensitive component 10 are mounted on the same mounting surface, which can reduce the height space occupied by the stepper motor, thereby reducing the height of the telescopic camera module. Preferably, the stepper motor is mounted at a corner of the base 24, making the structure of the telescopic camera module more compact. It should be understood that the stepper motor can also be mounted at other positions on the base 24, for example, fixed to one side of the base 24; this is not limited to this application.

[0088] The voice coil motor (the second driving element 23) includes a movable carrier 231 and a driving unit 232 mounted on the movable carrier 231. The optical lens 21 is mounted in the driving unit 232. The stepper motor is configured to drive the movable carrier 231 to move the driving unit 232, on which the optical lens 21 is mounted, along the photosensitive path.

[0089] like Figure 5 As shown in this embodiment, in order to transmit the driving force generated by the stepper motor to the movable carrier 231 of the second driving element 23, the telescopic lens device 20 further includes a transmission mechanism 25 for transmitting the driving force generated by the stepper motor to the movable carrier 231.

[0090] In a specific example of this application, the transmission mechanism 25 includes a gear transmission assembly 251 coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor and a transmission screw 252 meshing with the gear transmission assembly 251, wherein the transmission screw 252 is tractably coupled to the movable carrier 231.

[0091] In this specific example, the gear transmission assembly 251 includes at least two transmission gears, including at least one first transmission gear 253 and at least one second transmission gear 254. At least one first transmission gear 253 is coupled to the power output terminal of the stepper motor, and at least one second transmission gear 254 meshes with the at least one first transmission gear 253 and is located between the at least one first transmission gear 253 and the transmission screw 252, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown.

[0092] The step angle of the stepper motor can be controlled by controlling the electrical pulse signal provided to the stepper motor. When the stepper motor receives the electrical pulse signal, the first transmission gear 253 coupled to the stepper motor rotates, which in turn drives the second transmission gear 254 meshed with the first transmission gear 253 to rotate. The rotated second transmission gear 254 drives the transmission screw 252 coupled to (e.g., meshed with) the second transmission gear 254 to rotate, thereby causing the movable carrier 231 coupled to the transmission screw 252 to move. In this way, the stepper motor transmits driving force to the movable carrier 231.

[0093] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, the number of the first transmission gear 253 and the second transmission gear 254 is not limited by this application. For example, in one specific embodiment, the gear transmission group 251 includes: a first transmission gear 253 coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor, and a second transmission gear 254 meshing with the first transmission gear 253 and coupled to the transmission screw 252; in another specific embodiment, the gear transmission group 251 includes: a first transmission gear 253 coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor, a second transmission gear 254 meshing with the first transmission gear 253, and another second transmission gear 254 meshing with the second transmission gear 254 and coupled to the transmission screw 252; in yet another specific embodiment, the gear transmission group 251 includes: two first transmission gears 253 coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor, and two second transmission gears 254 respectively meshing with the two first transmission gears 253 and coupled to the transmission screw 252. Accordingly, the number of the transmission screws 252 can be 1, 2, or more, and this is not limited to the present application.

[0094] It is worth mentioning that the gear transmission assembly 251, as a connecting structure between the stepper motor and the transmission screw 252, will affect the positional relationship between the stepper motor and the transmission screw 252 due to its structural characteristics and arrangement. For example, the first transmission gear 253 of the gear transmission assembly 251 is coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor, and the second transmission gear 254 meshes with the first transmission gear 253 and is located on the first side (e.g., the left side) of the stepper motor. The transmission screw 252 coupled to the second transmission gear 254 can be arranged on the first side (e.g., the left side) of the stepper motor along with the second transmission gear 254. As another example, the first transmission gear 253 is coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor, the second transmission gear 254 meshes with the first transmission gear 253, and the second transmission gear 254 has a larger diameter or a larger number of diameters. The transmission screw 252 coupled to the second transmission gear 254 can be arranged at a position far from the stepper motor.

[0095] Preferably, the transmission screw 252 is positioned close to the stepper motor via the gear transmission group 251, which makes the structure of the telescopic camera module relatively compact.

[0096] The structural relationship between the first transmission gear 253 and the second transmission gear 254 will also affect the rotational characteristics of the stepper motor. For example, the rotational speed of the transmission screw 252 relative to the first transmission gear 253 changes with the transmission ratio between the second transmission gear 254 and the first transmission gear 253 (the ratio of the angular velocities of the second transmission gear 254 and the first transmission gear 253).

[0097] Accordingly, in this embodiment, the movable carrier 231 includes a first movable connection end 91 extending outward from the base 234 and adapted to the transmission screw 252, the transmission screw 252 being tractably coupled to the first movable connection end 91, such as... Figure 5 As shown.

[0098] Specifically, in one particular example of this application, the first movable connection end 91 has a threaded hole 203 formed therein, and the transmission screw 252 is tractably coupled into the threaded hole 203. When the transmission screw 252 rotates, the transmission screw 252 drives the movable carrier 231 to move along the photosensitive path, and drives the second driving element 23, on which the optical lens 21 is mounted, to move along the photosensitive path.

[0099] It is worth mentioning that, in this specific example, the transmission screw 252 is made of metal, while the first movable connecting end 91 is made of plastic. When the transmission screw 252 moves relative to the first movable connecting end 91 within the threaded hole 203, the transmission screw 252 and the wall of the threaded hole 203 rub against each other. Furthermore, the hardness and wear resistance of the metal material differ significantly from those of the plastic material, easily generating debris during the friction process. Therefore, a transmission component suitable for coupling with the transmission screw 252 and made of the same material as the transmission screw 252 can be provided within the first movable connecting end 91.

[0100] Accordingly, in another specific example of this application, the first movable connection end 91 has an opening formed therein, and the movable carrier 231 further includes a transmission member disposed within the opening. The transmission member has an internal thread, and the transmission screw 252 is tractably coupled to the internal thread of the transmission member. The internal thread is adapted to the thread of the transmission screw 252, such that the transmission screw 252 is suitable for driving the movable carrier 231 to move along the photosensitive path during rotation. Furthermore, the transmission member and the transmission screw 252 are made of metal material, and preferably, the transmission member and the transmission screw 252 are made of the same metal material, which can relatively reduce the debris generated by the friction between the transmission screw 252 and the first movable connection end 91 of the movable carrier 231.

[0101] In this specific example, the transmission component can be implemented as a separate element with a cylindrical structure made of metal, the outer peripheral wall of the transmission component being coupled to the inner peripheral wall of the opening; the transmission component can also be implemented as a metal coating covering the inner peripheral wall of the opening, the thickness of the metal coating being set according to actual needs.

[0102] It is worth mentioning that the thread of the transmission screw 252 engages with the internal thread of the first movable connecting end 91, providing a self-locking function. Specifically, when the transmission screw 252 rotates, the movable carrier 231 moves along with it; when the transmission screw 252 stops rotating, the movable carrier 231 also stops rotating. Furthermore, since both the surface of the transmission screw 252 and the transmission component of the first movable connecting end 91 are threaded, when the transmission screw 252 stops rotating, the movable carrier 231 will not continue to move due to sliding friction, thus ensuring that the movable carrier 231 remains stably at the corresponding height.

[0103] In this embodiment, to ensure smooth movement of the movable carrier 231 driven by the stepper motor, the telescopic lens device 20 further includes a guide mechanism 26 for guiding the movable carrier 231 along the photosensitive path. When the drive screw 252 rotates, the movable carrier 231, coupled to the drive screw 252 via the threaded hole 203 or internal thread, not only tends to move along the photosensitive path but also tends to rotate around the drive screw 252. Rotation of the movable carrier 231 around the drive screw 252 can be prevented by providing a guide mechanism 26 that is off-axis from the drive screw 252. Here, the guide mechanism 26 that is off-axis from the drive screw 252 refers to a guide mechanism 26 whose central axis is different from the central axis of the drive screw 252.

[0104] Specifically, such as Figure 6 As shown, the guiding mechanism 26 includes a first guiding portion 261 and a second guiding portion 262. The first guiding portion 261 is adjacent to the transmission screw 252, and the second guiding portion 262 is disposed opposite to the first guiding portion 261 to guide the movable carrier 231 to move smoothly along the photosensitive path. For example, when the transmission screw 252 is disposed at the first corner of the base 24, preferably, the positions of the first guiding portion 261 and the second guiding portion 262 are configured such that the first guiding portion 261 corresponds to the first corner of the base 24, and the position of the second guiding portion 262 corresponds to the third corner opposite to the first corner of the base 24; the positions of the first guiding portion 261 and the second guiding portion 262 can also be configured such that the position of the first guiding portion 261 corresponds to the second corner adjacent to the first corner of the base 24, and the position of the second guiding portion 262 corresponds to the fourth corner of the base 24 opposite to the second corner.

[0105] More specifically, the first guide portion 261 includes a second movable connecting end 92 extending outward from the base 234 and a first guide rod 263 penetrating the second movable connecting end 92; the second guide portion 262 includes a third movable connecting end 93 extending outward from the base 234 and a second guide rod 264 penetrating the third movable connecting end 93, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 6As shown. The first guide rod 263 and the second guide rod 264 are disposed opposite to each other, and the second movable connecting end 92 and the third movable connecting end 93 are disposed opposite to each other. One end of the first guide rod 263 can be fixed to the base 24, and the other end can be fixed to the outer shell 30; similarly, one end of the second guide rod 264 can be fixed to the base 24, and the other end can be fixed to the outer shell 30, so that the first guide rod 263 and the second guide rod 264 can be stably disposed on the telescopic camera module.

[0106] In this embodiment of the application, the first movable connection end 91 and / or the second movable connection end 92 and / or the third movable connection end 93 can be integrally formed with the substrate 234, and the first movable connection end 91 and / or the second movable connection end 92 and / or the third movable connection end 93 can also be fixed to the substrate 234 by means of attachment, fitting or other methods.

[0107] In a specific example of this application, the second movable connecting end 92 has a first through hole 204 corresponding to the first guide rod, and the third movable connecting end 93 has a second through hole 205 corresponding to the second guide rod. The first guide rod passes through the second movable connecting end 92 through the first through hole 204, and the second guide rod passes through the third movable connecting end 93 through the second through hole 205.

[0108] It is worth mentioning that, in this specific example, the first and second guide rods are made of metal, while the second movable connecting end 92 and the third movable connecting end 93 are made of plastic. When the transmission screw 252 rotates, it drives the movable carrier 231 to move relative to the first and second guide rods. The first and second guide rods rub against each other with the walls of the first through hole 204 and the second through hole 205 of the movable carrier 231, respectively. Furthermore, the hardness and wear resistance of the metal material differ significantly from those of the plastic material, making it prone to generating debris during the friction process. Therefore, a first connecting member and a second connecting member, suitable for the passage of the first and second guide rods, can be respectively provided in the second movable connecting end 92 and the third movable connecting end 93, and these connecting members are made of the same material as the first and second guide rods, respectively.

[0109] Accordingly, in another specific example of this application, the second movable connecting end 92 has a first through hole 204 corresponding to the first guide rod, and the third movable connecting end 93 has a second through hole 205 corresponding to the second guide rod. The movable carrier 231 further includes a first coupling member disposed within the first through hole 204 and a second coupling member disposed within the second through hole 205. The first coupling member has a first inner hole formed therein and adapted to the first guide rod, and the second coupling member has a second inner hole formed therein and adapted to the second guide rod. The first guide rod can pass through the first inner hole to the second movable connecting end 92, and the second guide rod can pass through the second inner hole to the third movable connecting end 93. Furthermore, both the first connecting member and the first guide rod are made of metal, preferably the first connecting member and the second guide rod are made of the same metal; both the second connecting member and the second guide rod are also made of metal, preferably the second connecting member and the second guide rod are made of the same metal, which can relatively reduce the debris generated by the friction between the first guide rod and the second guide rod and the second movable connecting end 92 and the third movable connecting end 93 of the movable carrier 231, respectively.

[0110] In this specific example, the first connector and / or the second connector may be implemented as independent elements with a cylindrical structure made of metal, wherein the outer peripheral wall of the first connector and the outer peripheral wall of the second connector are respectively connected to the inner peripheral wall of the first through hole 204 and the inner peripheral wall of the second through hole 205; the first connector and / or the second connector may also be implemented as a metal coating covering the inner peripheral wall of the first through hole 204 and / or the inner peripheral wall of the second through hole 205, wherein the thickness of the metal coating may be set according to actual needs.

[0111] In a specific example of this application, the guiding mechanism 26 further includes at least one buffer member 265. The buffer member 265 may be disposed between the first guide rod and / or the second guide rod and the movable carrier 231, serving a buffering function. For example, the buffer member 265 may be disposed between the first guide rod and the second movable connection end 92 of the movable carrier 231, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, one end of the buffer member 265 is fixed to the second movable connection end 92, and the other end is fixed to the first guide rod or the outer shell 30.

[0112] The buffer member 265 is an elastic element. When the telescopic camera module is in working condition, the stepper motor drives the movable carrier 231 to move, and the second movable connecting end 92 drives one end of the buffer member 265 to move away from the photosensitive component 10. The buffer member 265 is compressed, and the elasticity of the buffer member 265 buffers the movement of the movable carrier 231. When the telescopic camera module is not in working condition, the second movable connecting end 92 of the movable carrier 231 drives one end of the buffer member 265 to move closer to the photosensitive component 10. The buffer member 265 is stretched, and the elasticity of the buffer member 265 buffers the movement of the movable carrier 231.

[0113] It should be understood that the buffer member 265 may be implemented as a spring or other elastic element, such as a sheet, sponge, rubber, etc., and is not limited to this application.

[0114] In this embodiment, the telescopic lens device 20 further includes a magnet disposed on the movable carrier 231 and a position sensing element disposed on the base 24. The magnet and the sensing element are disposed opposite to each other so as to determine the position of the movable carrier 231 relative to the base 24 by the cooperation between the position sensing element and the magnet.

[0115] Preferably, the number of magnets is relatively large, so that multiple magnets can be stacked to form a magnetic mountain, which is set on the travel path of the movable carrier 231 to match the relatively long focusing stroke of the telescopic camera module.

[0116] Specifically, in this embodiment, the movable carrier 231 can serve as the housing of the second driving element 23, having a mounting cavity 201 for accommodating the driving unit 232, such as... Figure 6 As shown. Furthermore, to accommodate the shape of the drive unit 232, the mounting cavity 201 has a square cross-section. Correspondingly, the movable carrier 231 includes a cylindrical body 233 and a base 234 extending outward from the lower periphery of the cylindrical body 233. The cylindrical body 233 has a mounting cavity 201 formed therein, and the drive unit 232 is mounted within the mounting cavity 201.

[0117] The outer wall of the cylindrical body 233 is cylindrical, with a corresponding circular cross-section. The cross-section of the mounting cavity 201 formed within the cylindrical body 233 is square. In other words, the cross-section of the cylindrical body 233 of the movable carrier 231 is circular on the outside and square on the inside. Here, the cross-section of the cylindrical body 233 of the movable carrier 231 refers to the cross-section of the cylindrical body 233, that is, the sectional surface of the cylindrical body 233 parallel to its bottom surface; the cross-section of the mounting cavity 201 refers to the sectional surface of the cylindrical body 233 that forms the inner wall of the mounting cavity 201 and is parallel to its bottom surface.

[0118] like Figure 6 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the driving unit 232 includes at least one first coil 235 and at least one first magnet 236 opposite to the first coil 235. After the second driving element 23 is turned on, the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236 cooperate with each other to provide driving force for the optical lens 21, so as to drive the optical lens 21 to move along the photosensitive path.

[0119] In one specific example, the drive unit 232 further includes a support frame 237 mounted on the movable carrier 231, the support frame 237 having a receiving cavity 202, and the optical lens 21 being mounted within the receiving cavity 202 of the support frame 237. The first coil 235 and the first magnet 236 are disposed on the support frame 237, and the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236 are disposed opposite to each other.

[0120] In this specific example, the support frame 237 includes a mounting carrier 371 installed within the movable carrier 231 and a movable carrier 372 formed on the mounting carrier 371, the bottom surface of the mounting carrier 371 being square in shape. The accommodating cavity 202 is formed through both the mounting carrier 371 and the movable carrier 372, or only through the movable carrier 372. The first coil 235 is formed around the outer side wall of the movable carrier 372, and the at least one first magnet 236 is formed on the mounting carrier 371 and disposed opposite to the first coil 235.

[0121] Specifically, the at least one first coil 235 may be formed around the outer wall of the movable carrier 372 in a variety of different ways. For example, the first coil 235 may be formed around the outer wall of the movable carrier 372 in a manner that is wound around it; or, the first coil 235 may be formed around the outer wall of the movable carrier 372 in a manner that is attached to it; or, the first coil 235 may be formed around the outer wall of the movable carrier 372 in a manner that is embedded in it.

[0122] The at least one first magnet 236 can also be formed on the mounting carrier 371 in various different ways and disposed opposite to the first coil 235. For example, the first magnet 236 is formed on the mounting carrier 371 and is formed around the first coil 235 in a complete circle, disposed opposite to the first coil 235; or, the at least one first magnet 236 includes four first magnets 236, and the four first magnets 236 are formed around the first coil 235 in such a way that they are respectively formed at the four corners or four sides of the mounting carrier 371, disposed opposite to the first coil 235.

[0123] It should be understood that the number of the at least one first coil 235 can be 1, 2, 3, 4, or more. When the number of the first coil 235 is greater than 1, preferably, two or more first coils 235 are independently and evenly distributed on the outer side wall of the movable carrier 372. The number of the at least one first magnet 236 can also be 1, 2, 3, 4, or more. When the number of the first magnet 236 is greater than 1, preferably, the at least one first magnet 236 is evenly distributed to smoothly drive the optical lens 21.

[0124] It is worth mentioning that the formation positions of the first magnet 236 and the first coil 235 can be interchanged. That is, in another specific example of this application, the first coil 235 is formed on the mounting carrier 371 of the support frame 237, and the first magnet 236 is formed on the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237.

[0125] In a specific example of this application, the driving unit 232 further includes a position sensing element (e.g., a Hall element, tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR)) disposed within the first coil 235. The position sensing element disposed within the first coil 235 is opposite to the first magnet 236, so as to determine the position of the optical lens 21 relative to the first magnet 236 through the cooperation between the first magnet 236 and the position sensing element disposed within the first coil 235.

[0126] It is worth mentioning that, in this specific example, the first magnet 236 can not only cooperate with the first coil 235 to drive the optical lens 21, but also cooperate with the position sensing element to determine the position of the optical lens 21 relative to the first magnet 236.

[0127] In a specific example of this application, the drive unit 232 further includes an elastic member 238 disposed on the support frame 237 to provide a restoring force for the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237. Specifically, the elastic member 238 includes a first elastic element 381 and a second elastic element 382, ​​wherein the first elastic element 381 is disposed on the upper surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237, and the second elastic element 382 is disposed on the lower surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237. The movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237 is movably disposed on the mounting carrier 371 by the first elastic element 381 and the second elastic element 382. When the second driving element 23 is turned on, after the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237 moves, the elastic member 238 can provide a restoring force to the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237, so that the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237 returns to its initial position (i.e., the position of the movable carrier 372 when the second driving element 23 is not turned on).

[0128] More specifically, in this particular example, the first elastic element 381 is implemented as a first spring sheet, and the second elastic element 382 is implemented as a second spring sheet. Furthermore, four extending posts extending upward relative to the upper surface of the movable carrier 372 are provided at the four corners of the movable carrier 372. The inner end of the first spring sheet is fixed to the upper surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237, and the outer end of the first spring sheet is fixed to the extending posts. The inner end of the second spring sheet is fixed to a first region of the lower surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237, and the outer end of the second spring sheet is fixed to a second region of the lower surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237.

[0129] The fixing method of the first or second spring is not limited to this application. For example, in other specific examples of this application, the inner end of the first spring is fixed to the upper surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237, and the outer end of the first spring is fixed to the movable carrier 231. The inner end of the second spring is fixed to the lower surface of the movable carrier 372 of the support frame 237, and the outer end of the second spring is fixed to the movable carrier 231. The type of the first elastic element 381 and the second elastic element 382 is also not limited to this application. For example, the first elastic element 381 and the second elastic element 382 can be implemented as a spring, or other elements with elastic structures.

[0130] In a modified embodiment of this application, the structure of the driving unit 232 is changed, mainly in that the arrangement of the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236 is changed, and a magnetic attraction structure 239 and a guiding structure 240 are added.

[0131] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, in this modified embodiment, the driving unit 232 includes at least one first coil 235 and at least one first magnet 236 opposite to the first coil 235. After the second driving element 23 is turned on, the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236 cooperate with each other to provide driving force for the optical lens 21, so as to drive the optical lens 21 to move along the photosensitive path.

[0132] The drive unit 232 further includes a support frame 237 mounted on the movable carrier 231. The support frame 237 has a receiving cavity 202, and the optical lens 21 is mounted in the receiving cavity 202 of the support frame 237.

[0133] The supporting frame 237 includes a mounting carrier 371 installed within the movable carrier 231 and a movable carrier 372 formed on the mounting carrier 371. The bottom surface of the mounting carrier 371 is square. The accommodating cavity 202 is formed through the movable carrier 372.

[0134] Specifically, the mounting carrier 371 includes a mounting body 373 and an anti-collision portion 374 formed on the mounting body 373, the anti-collision portion 374 protruding from the surface of the mounting body 373. During the movement of the movable carrier 372 relative to the mounting carrier 371, the anti-collision portion 374 acts as a buffer, preventing the movable carrier 372 from directly impacting the mounting carrier 371. The anti-collision portion 374 can be integrally formed on the mounting body 373, or it can be formed on the mounting body 373 by attachment or other means.

[0135] In this modified embodiment, the first coil 235 is formed on the inner wall of the movable carrier 231, and the first magnet 236 is formed on the movable carrier 237 and disposed opposite to the first coil 235. The number of the at least one first coil 235 can be 1, 2, 3, 4, or more. When the number of the first coil 235 is greater than 1, preferably, two or more first coils 235 are independently and uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the movable carrier 231. The number of the at least one first magnet 236 can also be 1, 2, 3, 4, or more. When the number of the first magnet 236 is greater than 1, preferably, the at least one first magnet 236 is uniformly distributed on the outer wall of the movable carrier 372 to smoothly drive the optical lens 21. Preferably, the number of the first coil 235 and the number of the first magnet 236 are equal.

[0136] like Figure 7 As shown, in one specific embodiment of this modified embodiment, the number of first coils 235 is two, and two first coils 235 are formed on two adjacent inner sidewalls of the movable carrier 231. The number of first magnets 236 is two, and two first magnets 236 are formed on two adjacent outer sidewalls of the movable carrier 372, opposite to the two first coils 235. The magnetic force generated by one first coil 235 and one first magnet 236 forms a 90-degree angle with the direction of the magnetic force generated by the other first coil 235 and the other first magnet 236, so that the magnetic forces generated by the first coils 235 and the first magnets 236 in different directions can maintain the balance of the movable carrier 372 and reduce the occurrence of tilting. Furthermore, when the first coils 235 and the first magnets 236 are arranged in this way, the size of the second conductive plate 72, as described below, can be reduced.

[0137] In this modified embodiment, the drive unit 232 further includes a position sensing element (e.g., a Hall element, tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR)) and a sensing magnetic element that cooperates with the position sensing element. In a specific embodiment of this modified embodiment, the position sensing element is disposed on the second conductive plate 72 as described below, and the sensing magnetic element is disposed on the movable carrier 372, opposite to the position sensing element, so that the position of the optical lens 21 relative to the movable carrier 231 is determined by the interaction of the position sensing element and the sensing magnetic element.

[0138] It should be understood that the sensing magnetic element can be implemented as the first magnet 236, that is, the first magnet 236 can be used as the sensing magnetic element. Accordingly, the position sensing element can be disposed within the first coil 235, the position sensing element being opposite to the first magnet 236, so as to determine the position of the optical lens 21 relative to the first magnet 236 through the cooperation between the first magnet 236 and the position sensing element disposed within the first coil 235.

[0139] In this modified embodiment, the driving unit 232 further includes the magnetic attraction structure 239. The magnetic attraction structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element mounted on the movable carrier 372 cooperate with each other to reset the movable carrier 372. In a specific embodiment of this modified embodiment, the magnetic attraction structure 239 is disposed on the second conductive plate 72 as described below. The magnetic attraction structure 239 can be disposed on the side of the second conductive plate 72 opposite to the sensing magnetic element, or it can be disposed on the side of the second conductive plate 72 closer to the sensing magnetic element. The magnetic attraction structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element are disposed opposite to each other so that the magnetic attraction between the magnetic attraction structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element can restore the displaced movable carrier 231 to its initial position (the position of the movable carrier 231 when the second driving element 23 is not turned on). Specifically, the magnetic attraction structure 239 can be implemented as an element such as an iron sheet that can generate a magnetic attraction with the magnetic element.

[0140] In this modified embodiment, to ensure that the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236 drive the movable carrier 372 more smoothly, the driving unit 232 further includes a guide structure 240 for guiding the movement of the movable carrier 372. Specifically, the guide structure 240 includes at least one guide groove 80 and at least one ball bearing 90 disposed in the at least one guide groove 80, such as... Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown. At least one guide groove 80 is disposed on the movable carrier 372, and at least one ball bearing 90 can move within the guide groove 80 to guide the movable carrier 372 relative to the movable carrier 231. The guide groove 80 extends along a predetermined direction, such that the ball bearing 90, which is received and confined within the guide groove 80, extends along that predetermined direction within the guide groove 80. During the movement of the movable carrier 372 relative to the movable carrier 231, the at least one guide groove 80 and the at least one ball bearing 90 cooperate to guide the movable carrier 372. Furthermore, when the ball bearing 90 rolls within the guide groove 80, rolling friction is generated between it and the guide groove 80. Compared to sliding friction, the frictional force is smaller, reducing frictional resistance and energy loss during the process of guiding the movable carrier 372 through the guide structure 240.

[0141] In one specific embodiment of this modified version, the guide structure 240 further includes at least one baffle disposed within the guide groove 80, the baffle dividing the guide groove 80 into at least two sub-grooves, each sub-grooves accommodating at least one ball bearing 90. The baffle allows different balls bearing 90 to move within different areas, thus preventing the balls bearing 90 from concentrating on one side of the guide groove and causing the movable carrier 372 to tilt. To ensure that the multiple balls bearing 90 are evenly distributed within the guide groove 80, the baffle evenly divides the guide groove 80 into at least two sub-grooves of the same size. For example, when a baffle is disposed within the guide groove 80, the baffle is located in the middle of the guide groove 80, and the guide groove 80 is evenly divided into two sub-grooves by the baffle, each sub-grooves accommodating one ball bearing 90.

[0142] It is worth mentioning that the number of guide grooves 80 and the number of balls 90 can be set according to requirements. For example, the number of guide grooves 80 can be 1, 2, 3, or more. Furthermore, the number of balls 90 that one guide groove 80 can accommodate can be 1, 2, 3, or more, which is not limited by this application.

[0143] The number of guide grooves 80 is 2. The two guide grooves 80 are respectively disposed on two adjacent side walls of the movable carrier 372 where the first magnet 236 is disposed. That is, the two guide grooves 80 and the two first magnets 236 are respectively located on the same side of the movable carrier 372.

[0144] It is worth mentioning that, in one specific embodiment of this modified embodiment, two first magnets 236 are formed on two adjacent outer sidewalls of the movable carrier 372, and the sensing magnetic element is disposed at the corner between the two adjacent outer sidewalls of the movable carrier 372. Thus, the magnetic attraction between the magnetic structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element is not in the same direction as the magnetic force between the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236; that is, there is an angle between the magnetic attraction between the magnetic structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element and the magnetic force between the first coil 235 and the first magnet 236. The magnetic attraction between the magnetic structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element allows the movable carrier 372 and the movable carrier 231 to move closer to each other, so that the ball 90 located between the movable carrier 372 and the movable carrier 231 is clamped between the movable carrier 372 and the movable carrier 231. Furthermore, the magnetic attraction between the magnetic structure 239 and the sensing magnetic element attracts the ball 90 and keeps it close to the movable carrier 372 or the movable carrier 231 to prevent the ball 90 from falling off.

[0145] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 9 As shown, the telescopic lens device 20 further includes: a telescopic sleeve 27 extending between the movable carrier 231 and the outer shell 30, the telescopic sleeve 27 being sleeved on the movable carrier 231.

[0146] Specifically, the retractable sleeve 27 includes a sleeve body 271, a first end portion 272 formed at one end of the sleeve body 271, and a second end portion 273 formed at the other end of the sleeve body 271. The first end portion 272 of the retractable sleeve 27 is fixed to the movable carrier 231, and the second end portion 273 is fixed to the outer shell 30. When the retractable camera module is in working condition, the movable carrier 231 drives the first end portion 272 of the movable carrier 231 to move upward, so that the retractable sleeve 27 is in a retracted state, such as... Figure 1 As shown; when the retractable camera module is in a non-working state, the movable carrier 231 drives the first end 272 of the movable carrier 231 to move downward, so that the telescopic sleeve 27 is in a stretched state, as shown. Figure 2 As shown.

[0147] To enable the telescopic sleeve 27 to extend and retract flexibly during its extension and retraction, preferably, the telescopic portion of the telescopic sleeve 27, i.e., the sleeve body 271, is made of a flexible material, such as rubber. The materials used to make the first end 272 and the second end 273 of the telescopic sleeve 27 may be the same as or different from the materials used to make the sleeve body 271; this is not limited to the scope of this application.

[0148] In a specific example of this application, the sleeve body 271 of the retractable sleeve 27 is made of a flexible material, and the first end 272 and the second end 273 of the retractable sleeve 27 are also made of a flexible material. That is, the entire retractable sleeve 27 is made of a flexible material. The flexible material used to make the first end 272 and the second end 273 of the retractable sleeve 27 can be the same as the flexible material used to make the sleeve body 271, or it can be different from the flexible material used to make the sleeve body 271. For example, the sleeve body 271, the first end 272, and the second end 273 of the retractable sleeve 27 can all be made of rubber material. Specifically, an integral retractable sleeve 27 made of rubber material can be formed by injection molding, which has a simple structure.

[0149] In another specific example of this application, the sleeve body 271 of the telescopic sleeve 27 is made of a flexible material, and the first end 272 and the second end 273 of the telescopic sleeve 27 are made of a material with higher hardness. Preferably, the sleeve body 271 of the telescopic sleeve 27 is made of rubber material, and the first end 272 and the second end 273 of the telescopic sleeve 27 are made of metal material, which satisfies the requirement of telescopic flexibility of the telescopic sleeve 27 and improves the bonding stability between the telescopic sleeve 27, the movable carrier 231, and the outer shell 30.

[0150] It should be understood that the first end 272 and the second end 273 of the retractable sleeve 27 may also be a double-layer or multi-layer structure, and the different layers may be made of different materials. For example, the first end 272 includes an outer layer structure and an inner layer structure disposed within the outer layer structure. The outer layer structure is made of waterproof rubber material, and the inner layer structure is made of metal material. This is not limited to the present application.

[0151] It is worth mentioning that, in this embodiment of the application, the movable carrier 231, the outer shell 30 and the telescopic sleeve 27 are interconnected to form a first sealed space, and the first driving element 22 is located in the first sealed space. In this way, the first sealed space provides waterproof and dustproof protection for the first driving element 22.

[0152] In this embodiment, the telescopic camera module further includes a light-transmitting cover 40 covering the cylindrical body 233 of the movable carrier 231. The light-transmitting cover 40 is fixed to the movable carrier 231 and can move with the movable carrier 231. Furthermore, the light-transmitting cover 40, together with the movable carrier 231, forms a second sealed space. The driving unit 232, on which the optical lens 21 is mounted, is located within the second sealed space. Thus, the second sealed space provides waterproofing and dustproofing for the second driving element 23. Preferably, the light-transmitting cover 40 is made of a material with good light transmittance to reduce the impact on the imaging light received by the telescopic camera module. In a specific example of this application, the light-transmitting cover 40 is a glass cover with good light transmittance.

[0153] In this embodiment, the retractable camera module further includes a third driving element 50 for moving the photosensitive component 10 to perform optical image stabilization. Specifically, as Figure 10 As shown, the third driving element 50 includes at least one second coil 51 and at least one second magnet 52 opposite to the at least one second coil 51. When the third driving element 50 is turned on, the second coil 51 and the second magnet 52 cooperate with each other to provide driving force for the photosensitive component 10, so as to drive the photosensitive component 10 to move along the optical axis set perpendicular to the telescopic lens device 20.

[0154] Specifically, the second coil 51 is formed on the base 24, and the second magnet 52 is formed on the photosensitive assembly 10. In a specific example of this application, the base 24 has at least one first mounting groove formed at the bottom of the base 24, and the at least one second coil 51 is accommodated in the first mounting groove to reduce the height dimension occupied by the second coil 51; the photosensitive assembly 10 has at least one second mounting groove formed on the support 14 of the photosensitive assembly 10, and the at least one second magnet 52 is accommodated in the second mounting groove to reduce the height dimension occupied by the second magnet 52.

[0155] It should be understood that the second coil 51 and the second magnet 52 may also be formed on the base 24 and the photosensitive component 10 in other ways. For example, the second coil 51 and the second magnet 52 may be attached to the surface of the base 24 and the surface of the photosensitive component 10, respectively, which is not limited to this application.

[0156] It should also be understood that the number of the at least one second coil 51 can be 1, 2, 3, 4, or more, and the number of the at least one second magnet 52 can also be 1, 2, 3, 4, or more. When the number of the at least one second coil 51 is 1, preferably, the at least one second coil 51 is evenly distributed on the base 24, and the at least one first magnet 236 is evenly distributed on the photosensitive component 10, so as to smoothly drive the photosensitive component 10.

[0157] Preferably, the number of at least one second coil 51 and the number of at least one second magnet 52 are both 4, with the four second coils 51 respectively formed at the four sides of the bottom of the base 24, and the four second magnets 52 respectively formed at the four sides of the bracket 14 of the photosensitive component 10.

[0158] When the number of the at least one second coil 51 and the number of the at least one second magnet 52 are both 2, the two second coils 51 are respectively formed on two adjacent sides of the bottom of the base 24, and the two second magnets 52 are respectively formed on two adjacent sides of the support 14 of the photosensitive component 10.

[0159] In a specific example of this application, the third driving element 50 further includes a position sensing element (e.g., Hall element, tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR)) disposed within the second coil 51. The position sensing element disposed within the second coil 51 is opposite to the second magnet 52, so as to determine the position of the photosensitive component 10 relative to the base 24 by the cooperation between the second magnet 52 and the position sensing element disposed within the second coil 51.

[0160] Furthermore, in a specific example of this application, in order to enable the third driving element 50 to drive the photosensitive component 10 more smoothly, the third driving element 50 further includes a guide unit 53 for guiding the movement of the photosensitive component 10. Specifically, the guide unit 53 includes at least one guide groove 80 and at least one ball bearing 90 disposed in the at least one guide groove 80, such as... Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown. At least one guide groove 80 is disposed between the photosensitive component 10 and the base 24. At least one ball bearing 90 can move within the guide groove 80 to guide the movement of the photosensitive component 10. During the movement of the photosensitive component 10 relative to the base 24, the at least one ball bearing 90 provides support for the photosensitive component 10, allowing it to slide relatively smoothly. Furthermore, the guide groove 80 extends along a predetermined direction, causing the ball bearing 90, which is received and confined within the guide groove 80, to extend along that predetermined direction within the guide groove 80. The at least one guide groove 80 and the at least one ball bearing 90 cooperate to guide the photosensitive component 10. In addition, when the ball bearing 90 rolls within the guide groove 80, rolling friction is generated between it and the guide groove 80. Compared to sliding friction, this frictional force is smaller, reducing frictional resistance and energy loss during the process of guiding the photosensitive component 10 through the guide unit 53. Furthermore, using the guide groove 80 and the ball bearing 90 as a guide structure to guide the movement of the photosensitive component 10 can provide the photosensitive component 10 with a longer anti-shake stroke.

[0161] It is worth mentioning that the number of guide grooves 80 and the number of balls 90 can be set according to requirements. Preferably, the number of guide grooves 80 and the number of balls 90 are both 4. Furthermore, the number of balls 90 that one guide groove 80 can accommodate can be 1, 2, 3, or more, which is not limited to this application. The shape of the guide groove 80 can be a straight line, a cross, etc., which is also not limited to this application.

[0162] More specifically, the at least one guide groove 80 includes a first guide groove 80 extending along a first direction and a second guide groove 80 extending along a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. This enables the telescopic camera module to achieve image stabilization in both the first and second directions via the third drive element 50.

[0163] To further improve the stability of the photosensitive component 10 during movement, the third driving element 50 further includes a positioning mechanism 60 disposed between the photosensitive component 10 and the base 24. Specifically, the positioning mechanism 60 includes at least one magnetic element 61, which can attract the second magnet 52, for example, an iron sheet. The magnetic element 61 and the second magnet 52 are disposed opposite to each other, and the magnetic element 61 and the second magnet 52 cooperate with each other to not only make the photosensitive component 10 press against the base 24 to achieve frictional contact during movement relative to the base 24, thereby maintaining the stability of the photosensitive component 10 and maintaining the supporting and guiding role of the guiding unit 53 on the photosensitive component 10; but also to restore the photosensitive component 10 to its initial position (the position of the photosensitive component 10 when the third driving element 50 is not activated).

[0164] More specifically, the magnetic attraction element 61 is disposed on the base 24 and opposite to the second magnet 52, located above the second magnet 52. In a specific embodiment of this application, the magnetic attraction element 61 is disposed on the side of the second coil 51 facing away from the second magnet 52.

[0165] The number of magnetic elements 61 can be one, two, or more, and is not limited thereto by this application. When the number of magnetic elements 61 is one, the magnetic element 61 can be disposed on one side of the base 24, or it can be disposed around the entire outer periphery of the base 24. Preferably, the number of magnetic elements 61 is four, corresponding to four of the second magnets 52.

[0166] It is worth mentioning that the second magnet 52 is located above the magnetic attraction element 61, and the direction of the attraction between the second magnet 52 and the magnetic attraction element 61 is consistent with the direction set by the optical axis. When the third driving element 50 drives the photosensitive component 10 to move along the direction perpendicular to the optical axis set by the telescopic lens device 20, the distance between the magnetic attraction element 61 and the second magnet 52 is not affected by the image stabilization stroke, so that the telescopic camera module can achieve a longer image stabilization stroke, and makes it easier for the telescopic camera module to reset during optical image stabilization (i.e., the photosensitive component 10 returns to its initial position).

[0167] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the retractable camera module further includes a conductive structure 70 to enable electrical conduction within the internal structure of the retractable camera module and to facilitate communication between the retractable camera module and other electronic devices.

[0168] Specifically, in one particular example, the conductive structure 70 includes a first conductive plate 71 and a second conductive plate 72, such as... Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown. The first conductive plate 71 is formed on the base 24, a portion of the first conductive plate 71 extends to the bottom of the base 24, and another portion of the first conductive plate 71 extends outward relative to the base 24 to achieve electrical conduction with other electronic devices besides the retractable camera module. The circuit board 11 of the photosensitive component 10 extends to the first conductive plate 71 to achieve electrical conduction with the first conductive plate 71.

[0169] The second conductive plate 72 is electrically connected to the second driving element 23 and extends to the first conductive plate 71 to achieve electrical conductivity with the first conductive plate 71. Specifically, the second conductive plate 72 can be disposed between the support frame 237 and the movable carrier 231. Furthermore, the second conductive plate 72 can be used as a mounting substrate, and multiple components can be mounted on the second conductive plate. For example, the first coil 235 can be attached to the second conductive plate 72, such that the second conductive plate 72 is electrically connected to the first coil 235; the second coil 51 can also be attached to the second conductive plate 72 to achieve electrical conductivity with the second conductive plate 72, thus simplifying the circuit; the position sensing element and the magnetic attraction structure 239 can both be formed on the second conductive plate 72. Both the first conductive plate 71 and the second conductive plate 72 can be implemented as a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or other types of circuit boards.

[0170] In some specific embodiments of this application, the conductive structure 70 may be integrally formed on the telescopic lens device 20 and / or the photosensitive component 10. Specifically, the conductive structure 70 may be formed by injection molding. Alternatively, the conductive structure 70 may be formed by laser direct forming (LDS). When the conductive structure 70 is formed by LDS, at least two forming grooves may be provided. A conductive plating layer (e.g., nickel, palladium, or gold plating layer) may be deposited on the surface of the forming grooves using the LDS process. This avoids interference from other metals within the telescopic camera module and enables communication between the telescopic camera module and other electronic devices. Specifically, the depth of the forming groove is less than or equal to 30 micrometers, and the width is greater than or equal to 60 micrometers.

[0171] To further simplify the conductive structure 70, the circuitry of the retractable camera module can be integrated into a conductive plate (e.g., the first conductive plate 71), and the retractable camera module can be connected to other electronic devices through this conductive plate.

[0172] In summary, the telescopic camera module described in the embodiments of this application is explained, wherein the telescopic camera module utilizes the advantages of different drivers in driving performance to improve the overall driving performance of the optical lens 21, so as to meet the camera module's focusing performance requirements.

[0173] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

Claims

1. A retractable camera module, characterized by, The utility model relates to a retractable camera module, comprising: a photosensitive assembly; and a retractable lens device held on a photosensitive path of the photosensitive assembly; wherein the retractable lens device comprises a first driving element, a second driving element and an optical lens, the optical lens being mounted in the second driving element; wherein the first driving element and the second driving element are configured to drive the retractable camera module to switch between an active state and an inactive state; wherein, when in the active state, the first driving element is configured to drive the second driving element to move along the photosensitive path, and the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to achieve optical focusing; wherein the first driving element is a stepper motor, the second driving element is a voice coil motor, the voice coil motor comprises a movable carrier and a driving unit mounted on the movable carrier, the optical lens is mounted in the driving unit, and the stepper motor is configured to drive the movable carrier to drive the driving unit mounted with the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path; wherein the movable carrier comprises a cylindrical body and a base extending outward from the lower periphery of the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body has a mounting cavity formed therein, and the driving unit is mounted in the mounting cavity; wherein the retractable lens device further comprises a transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force generated by the stepper motor to the movable carrier, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises a gear transmission set coupled to the power output end of the stepper motor and a transmission screw engaged with the gear transmission set, the transmission screw being drivingly coupled to the movable carrier; wherein the movable carrier further comprises a first movable connection end extending outward from the base, and the transmission screw is drivingly coupled to the first movable connection end.

2. The retractable camera module of claim 1, wherein, When in the active state, the first driving element is configured to first drive the second driving element mounted with the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to a first position; the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to achieve optical focusing after being driven to the first position by the first driving element.

3. The retractable camera module of claim 2, further comprising a housing for covering the photosensitive assembly and the retractable lens device, the housing having an opening corresponding to the optical lens. The first driving element and the second driving element have a height difference in the housing.

4. The retractable camera module of claim 3, wherein, When in the active state, the second driving element is configured to drive the optical lens to move along the photosensitive path to protrude out of the opening of the housing after being driven to the first position by the first driving element.

5. The retractable camera module of claim 4, wherein, When in the active state, the focal plane of the optical lens is located at the imaging surface of the photosensitive assembly, and when in the inactive state, the focal plane of the optical lens is located behind the imaging surface of the photosensitive assembly.

6. The retractable camera module of claim 1, wherein, The retractable lens device further comprises a base, and the stepper motor and the photosensitive assembly are mounted on the mounting surface of the base.

7. The retractable camera module of claim 1, wherein, The cross-sectional shape of the mounting cavity is square.

8. The retractable camera module of claim 1, wherein, The first movable connection end has a threaded hole formed therein, and the transmission screw is drivingly coupled to the threaded hole.

9. The retractable camera module of claim 1, wherein, The first movable connection end has a bore formed therein, the movable carrier further includes a transmission member disposed within the bore, the transmission member has an internal thread, the transmission screw is drivingly coupled to the internal thread of the transmission member.

10. The retractable camera module of claim 9, wherein, The transmission member and the transmission screw are made of metal material.

11. The retractable camera module of claim 6, wherein, The stepper motor is mounted at a corner of the base.

12. The retractable camera module of claim 6, wherein, The zoom lens device further includes a guide mechanism for guiding the movable carrier to move along the light path.

13. The retractable camera module of claim 12, wherein, The guide mechanism includes a first guide portion adjacent to the transmission screw and a second guide portion disposed opposite to the first guide portion.

14. The retractable camera module of claim 13, wherein, The first guide portion includes a second movable connection end extending outwardly from the base and a first guide rod penetrating through the second movable connection end, and the second guide portion includes a third movable connection end extending outwardly from the base and a second guide rod penetrating through the third movable connection end.

15. The retractable camera module of claim 14, wherein, The second movable connection end is disposed opposite to the third movable connection end.

16. The retractable camera module of claim 15, wherein, The first movable connection end and / or the second movable connection end and / or the third movable connection end are integrally formed with the base.

17. The retractable camera module of claim 6, wherein, The zoom lens device further includes a magnet disposed on the movable carrier and a position sensing element disposed on the base, so as to determine the position of the movable carrier relative to the base by cooperation between the position sensing element and the magnet.

18. The retractable camera module of claim 3, wherein, The zoom lens device further includes a telescopic sleeve extending between the movable carrier and the outer housing.

19. The retractable camera module of claim 18, wherein, The movable carrier, the outer housing and the telescopic sleeve are connected to each other to form a first sealed space, and the first driving element is located in the first sealed space.

20. The retractable camera module of claim 18, wherein, The telescopic sleeve is made of flexible material.

21. The zoom lens device of claim 19, further comprising a light transmissible cover covering the cylindrical body of the movable carrier, the light transmissible cover cooperates with the movable carrier to form a second sealed space, and the driving unit having the optical lens mounted thereon is located in the second sealed space.

22. The retractable camera module of claim 21, wherein, The light transmissible cover is a glass cover.

23. The zoom lens device of claim 1, further comprising a third driving element for moving the light sensing assembly for optical image stabilization.

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