Camera modules and electronic devices

Abstract

This application discloses a camera module and electronic device, belonging to the field of camera technology. The camera module includes a photosensitive chip, a first lens barrel, a first lens, a rotating assembly, an elastic element, and a driving mechanism. The first lens barrel has a first lens disposed opposite to the photosensitive chip. The first lens barrel is sleeved on the rotating assembly and is connected to the rotating assembly through a first mating protrusion and a first spiral guide groove. The rotating assembly includes a separate main body and a transmission component. The first end of the elastic element is connected to the main body, and the second end of the elastic element is connected to the transmission component. The driving mechanism is connected to the transmission component. The driving mechanism drives the first lens barrel to move along a first direction under the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove through the transmission component, the elastic element, and the main body. When the first lens barrel is subjected to external force, the elastic element causes the first lens barrel to move in a direction closer to the photosensitive chip. This solution addresses the problem of short lifespan in camera modules.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of camera technology, specifically relating to a camera module and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Nowadays, with the continuous improvement of camera technology in electronic devices, people hope to use electronic devices to capture higher quality images.

[0003] In actual shooting, optical zoom can be used to magnify the subject. Optical zoom magnifies the subject by changing the distance between the lens and the subject; therefore, the lens needs to move during zooming. To achieve this movement, a mating protrusion can be set on one lens barrel, and a sliding groove can be set on the other. The protrusion and the sliding groove slide together, thereby achieving relative movement between the two lens barrels, ultimately resulting in the movement of the lens.

[0004] However, when users use electronic devices, the extended camera module is easily subjected to pressure due to drops, collisions, and manual pressing. Under this pressure, the lens barrel of the camera module will tend to retract, but the drive source in the camera module that outputs driving force is not working, so the lens barrel cannot retract. This will cause the lens barrels to squeeze against each other at the mating protrusion, which will make the mating protrusion easy to be damaged. Therefore, this type of camera module has a shorter lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a camera module and electronic device that can solve the problem of short lifespan of camera modules.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a camera module, which includes a photosensitive chip, a first lens barrel, a first lens, a rotating assembly, an elastic element, and a driving mechanism, wherein...

[0008] The first lens barrel is provided with the first lens, which is disposed opposite to the photosensitive chip. The first lens barrel is sleeved on the rotating assembly and is connected to the rotating assembly through a first mating protrusion and a first spiral guide groove.

[0009] The rotating assembly includes a main body and a transmission component that are separated. A first end of the elastic element is connected to the main body, and a second end of the elastic element is connected to the transmission component. The driving mechanism is connected to the transmission component.

[0010] The driving mechanism sequentially drives the first lens barrel to move along a first direction through the transmission member, the elastic member, and the main body member, under the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove. The first direction is the direction that moves closer to or further away from the photosensitive chip.

[0011] When the first lens barrel is subjected to an external force, the elastic element causes the first lens barrel to move in a direction closer to the photosensitive chip.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device that includes the aforementioned camera module.

[0013] In this embodiment, when the camera module needs to zoom, the drive mechanism sequentially drives the first lens barrel to move along a first direction under the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove through the transmission component, the elastic component, and the main body component, thereby moving the first lens away from or closer to the photosensitive chip. When the camera module in the extended state is subjected to pressure due to drops, collisions, or manual pressing, the first lens barrel drives the main body component to rotate, and the main body component applies pressure to the elastic component, causing the elastic component to deform, while the transmission component remains stationary. The elastic component can convert the kinetic potential energy generated when the camera module is subjected to pressure into its own elastic potential energy, thereby achieving a buffering effect. Therefore, the first mating protrusion is not easily broken due to compression, and this embodiment can solve the problem of short lifespan of the camera module. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the camera module disclosed in the first embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 2 and Figure 3 These are schematic diagrams of the camera module disclosed in the first embodiment of this application under different states;

[0016] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the camera module disclosed in the second embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the camera module disclosed in the second embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 6 and Figure 7 These are schematic diagrams of the camera module disclosed in the second embodiment of this application under different states.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0020] 100 - First lens tube;

[0021] 200-Rotating assembly, 210-Main body, 211-Guide groove, 212-First functioning part, 213-Third functioning part, 214-Third spiral guide groove, 215-Second limiting straight groove, 220-Transmission component, 221-Third end, 222-Fourth end, 223-Rack part, 224-Rod-shaped part, 225-Guide part, 226-Second functioning part, 227-First support protrusion, 228-Second support protrusion, 240-Mounting component;

[0022] 300 - Second lens tube;

[0023] 400 - Elastic component;

[0024] 500 - First Lens;

[0025] 600-base;

[0026] 700 - Drive lens barrel, 710 - Third mating protrusion, 720 - Third limiting straight groove. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0029] The camera module and electronic device provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment provides a camera module, which includes a base 600, a photosensitive chip, a first lens barrel 100, a first lens 500, a rotating assembly 200, an elastic element 400, and a driving mechanism.

[0031] The image sensor is located on the base 600. Besides housing the image sensor, the base 600 can also house other components of the camera module. Furthermore, the base 600 includes... Figure 5 In addition to the parts shown, other parts may also be included. The first lens barrel 100 is provided with a first lens 500, which is disposed opposite to the photosensitive chip. The first lens 500 and the photosensitive chip can be disposed along the optical axis of the camera module. The photosensitive chip can be used to receive light rays incident from the first lens 500 and finally convert the light signals into digital image signals to obtain an image.

[0032] The first lens barrel 100 is sleeved on the rotating assembly 200, and is connected to the rotating assembly 200 via a first mating protrusion and a first spiral guide groove. The rotating assembly 200 includes a separate main body 210 and a transmission component 220. The first end of the elastic component 400 is connected to the main body 210, and the second end of the elastic component 400 is connected to the transmission component 220. Optionally, one of the main body 210 and the first lens barrel 100 has a first mating protrusion, and the other has a first spiral guide groove, so that the first lens barrel 100 can be directly driven to extend and retract through the main body 210. Since the main body 210 and the transmission component 220 are separate, their movements can be separated. In other words, the transmission component 220 can transmit driving force to the main body 210 through the elastic component 400, causing the main body 210 to rotate. When the transmission component 220 does not transmit driving force to the main body 210, the main body 210 can rotate relative to the transmission component 220 under the action of an external force. Optionally, the elastic element 400 can be a spring. The elastic element 400 and the main body 210 can simply abut against each other, or they can be connected by welding, snap-fitting, or other methods. Similarly, the elastic element 400 and the main body 210 can simply abut against each other, or they can be connected by welding, snap-fitting, or other methods. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic element 400 can be the same as the shape of the part in the transmission member 220 used to set the elastic element 400. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic element 400 can be a circle, rectangle, triangle, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0033] The drive mechanism is connected to the transmission component 220. The drive mechanism sequentially drives the first lens barrel 100 to move along a first direction (approaching or moving away from the photosensitive chip) through the transmission component 220, the elastic component 400, and the main body component 210. Optionally, the drive mechanism may include components such as a motor and transmission gears. When the drive mechanism outputs a driving force, the transmission component 220 rotates under the action of this driving force. The transmission component 220 drives the main body component 210 to rotate through the elastic component 400. With the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove, the first lens barrel 100 can move in a direction away from the photosensitive chip, thereby extending the first lens barrel 100. When the drive mechanism outputs a reverse driving force, the transmission component 220 drives the main body component 210 to rotate through the elastic component 400. With the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove, the first lens barrel 100 can move in a direction approaching the photosensitive chip, thereby retracting the first lens barrel 100.

[0034] The above describes the process of the drive mechanism driving the first lens barrel 100 to move. When the first lens barrel 100 is in the extended state, if the first lens barrel 100 is subjected to an external force, the first lens barrel 100 will tend to retract. In this case, although the drive mechanism does not work, the first lens barrel 100 can still move due to the presence of the elastic element 400. That is, when the first lens barrel 100 is subjected to an external force, the elastic element 400 causes the first lens barrel 100 to move in the direction closer to the photosensitive chip. Specifically, if the first lens barrel 100 tends to move in the direction closer to the photosensitive chip, the first lens barrel 100 can drive the main body 210 to rotate. The main body 210 then drives one end of the elastic element 400 to move. Since the other end of the elastic element 400 is connected to the transmission element 220, and the transmission element 220 does not move, the elastic element 400 will deform, thereby absorbing the external force on the first lens barrel 100. When the external force on the first lens barrel 100 disappears, the elastic element 400 returns to its original deformation, thereby driving the first lens barrel 100 to return to the extended state through the main body 210, so that the camera module can continue to work with the first lens barrel 100 extended, without needing to re-drive the first lens barrel 100 to extend through the drive mechanism.

[0035] In this embodiment, when the camera module needs to zoom, the drive mechanism sequentially drives the first lens barrel 100 to move along the first direction under the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove through the transmission component 220, the elastic component 400, and the main body component 210, thereby causing the first lens 500 to move away from or closer to the photosensitive chip. When the camera module in the extended state is subjected to pressure due to drops, collisions, or manual pressing, the first lens barrel 100 drives the main body component 210 to rotate, and the main body component 210 applies pressure to the elastic component 400, causing the elastic component 400 to deform, while the transmission component 220 remains stationary. The elastic component 400 can convert the kinetic potential energy generated when the camera module is subjected to pressure into its own elastic potential energy, thereby achieving a buffering effect. Therefore, the first mating protrusion is not easily broken due to compression, and other components of the camera module are not easily subjected to impact forces. Therefore, this embodiment can solve the problem of short lifespan of the camera module.

[0036] As mentioned earlier, the main body 210 can directly drive the first lens barrel 100. In other embodiments, the camera module may also include a second lens barrel 300 and a driving lens barrel 700. The main body 210 is at least partially fitted inside the base 600. The base 600 is provided with a second spiral guide groove and a first limiting straight groove. The main body 210 is provided with a third spiral guide groove 214 and a second limiting straight groove 215. The second lens barrel 300 is provided with a second mating protrusion that mates with the second spiral guide groove. At the same time, the second mating protrusion mates with the second limiting straight groove 215 of the main body 210. The driving lens barrel 700 is provided with a third mating protrusion 710 and a third limiting straight groove 720. The third mating protrusion 710 mates with both the third spiral guide groove 214 and the first limiting straight groove. The first lens barrel 100 is provided with a first mating protrusion, and the second lens barrel 300 is provided with a first spiral guide groove. The first mating protrusion mates with both the first spiral guide groove and the third limiting straight groove 720. The first limiting straight groove, the second limiting straight groove 215, and the third limiting straight groove 720 all extend along the first direction. When the driving mechanism drives the main body 210 to rotate, the second lens barrel 300 rotates and moves along the first direction under the cooperation of the second mating protrusion and the second spiral guide groove and the second mating protrusion and the second limiting straight groove 215. The driving lens barrel 700 moves only along the first direction under the cooperation of the third mating protrusion 710 and the third spiral guide groove 214 and the third mating protrusion 710 and the first limiting straight groove. The first lens barrel 100 moves only along the first direction under the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove and the first mating protrusion and the third limiting straight groove 720. In this embodiment, both the first lens barrel 100 and the second lens barrel 300 can move in the first direction, so the positional variation range of the first lens 500 relative to the photosensitive chip is larger, thereby improving the zoom effect of the camera module. When the first lens barrel 100 is subjected to an external force, the first lens barrel 100 moves in the direction of approaching the photosensitive chip, thereby driving the second lens barrel 300 to rotate and gradually approach the photosensitive chip. The second lens barrel 300 then drives the drive lens barrel 700 to move in the direction of approaching the photosensitive chip. The drive lens barrel 700 then drives the active component 210 to rotate, while the transmission component 220 remains stationary.

[0037] It should be noted that the solution of absorbing external force through elastic member 400 disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be applied to any camera module having main body member 210 and transmission member 220, and the embodiments of this application do not limit it.

[0038] The main body 210 can adopt an arc-shaped structure with a notch, but when the main body 210 rotates, the center of gravity of the camera module is prone to change, resulting in poor stability of the camera module. Therefore, the main body 210 can be designed as a ring, with the transmission component 220 and the elastic component 400 both arranged circumferentially along the main body 210. The elastic component 400 can correspond to the local design of the transmission component 220, ensuring that the length of the elastic component 400 is neither too large nor too small. This guarantees the elastic deformation capability of the elastic component 400 while minimizing the space occupied by it, facilitating the placement of other components of the camera module.

[0039] In one alternative embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the transmission component 220 has a third end 221 and a fourth end 222, with a gap between them. That is, the transmission component 220 is not a closed annular structure, but rather an arc-shaped component with a notch. Due to this notch, the elastic component 400 can be fitted onto the transmission component 220. In this embodiment, the transmission component 220 uses a relatively simple rod-shaped component, and the elastic component 400 can be directly fitted onto it. Therefore, this embodiment simplifies the structure and assembly of the camera module, reduces the processing cost of the camera module, and allows for more space in the camera module to accommodate other components.

[0040] The transmission component 220 can be entirely located outside the main body 210. In other optional embodiments, the main body 210 is provided with a guide groove 211 and a first actuating part 212. The guide groove 211 can extend circumferentially along the main body 210. The transmission component 220 cooperates with the guide groove 211, and the first actuating part 212 is connected to the first end of the elastic member 400. A portion of the transmission component 220 is located between the side wall of the guide groove 211 and the first actuating part 212. When the first lens barrel 100 is subjected to an external force, the main body 210 rotates relative to the transmission component 220. At this time, the guide groove 211 cooperates with the transmission component 220 to provide guidance, allowing the main body 210 to rotate more smoothly. At the same time, the first actuating part 212 can apply a force to the elastic member 400, thereby driving the elastic member 400 to deform. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the transmission component 220 is accommodated by the guide groove 211, thereby reducing the additional space occupied by the transmission component 220, which facilitates the arrangement of other components of the camera module.

[0041] Optionally, the transmission component 220 may include a rack portion 223 and a rod-shaped portion 224. The rack portion 223 is connected to the drive mechanism, and one end of the rack portion 223 is provided with a second action portion 226. The second end of the elastic member 400 is connected to the second action portion 226. This embodiment directly utilizes the structure of the rack portion 223 to achieve the connection between the transmission component 220 and the elastic member 400, without the need for additional components to achieve the connection between the transmission component 220 and the elastic member 400, thereby simplifying the structure of the camera module and facilitating the component layout of the camera module. In addition, when the main body 210 is provided with a guide groove 211 and a first action portion 212, a clearance notch can be provided on the side of the guide groove 211 away from the optical axis of the first lens 500. This clearance notch can avoid the rack portion 223, so that the drive mechanism can be connected to the rack portion 223.

[0042] Furthermore, the transmission component 220 also includes a guide portion 225, which is connected to the rod-shaped portion 224 via the rack portion 223. The guide portion 225 can cooperate with the guide groove 211, thereby further improving the smoothness and stability of the main body component 210 during rotation.

[0043] In another alternative embodiment, such as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the rotating assembly 200 also includes a mounting member 240, which is separately disposed from the transmission member 220 but connected to it. The elastic member 400 is sleeved on the mounting member 240. In this embodiment, the second end of the elastic member 400 is connected to the transmission member 220 through the mounting member 240. Since the elastic member 400 can be installed through the additionally provided mounting member 240, the structural design of the elastic member 400 is not easily restricted by the transmission member 220. Therefore, the elastic member 400 can be designed more flexibly, making it more capable of absorbing external forces. Optionally, the mounting member 240 can be an arc-shaped rod-shaped component, thereby facilitating the installation of the elastic member 400.

[0044] Furthermore, the transmission component 220 can be configured as a ring-shaped component, thereby making the camera module more stable during telescopic movement. Simultaneously, the ring-shaped transmission component 220 has higher structural strength, which not only facilitates the transmission of the driving force output by the drive mechanism but also withstands the force applied by the elastic component 400, preventing damage to the transmission component 220 and the drive mechanism caused by this force. In this embodiment, the transmission component 220 may also include a rack portion 223, which can be disposed locally within the transmission component 220 or arranged in a ring shape; this embodiment does not impose any limitations on this.

[0045] The elastic element 400 can be disposed on the inner or outer side of the transmission element 220, that is, the elastic element 400 and the transmission element 220 can be arranged along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera module. In other embodiments, the transmission element 220 and the elastic element 400 are arranged along a direction parallel to the optical axis of the camera module. Since the space inside and outside the transmission element 220 is usually relatively tight, while the space above or below the transmission element 220 is relatively large, the latter embodiment is more conducive to the compact design of the camera module.

[0046] Optionally, the transmission member 220 is provided with a first support protrusion 227 and a second support protrusion 228. The mounting member 240 is connected to the first support protrusion 227 and the second support protrusion 228 respectively. Optionally, both the first support protrusion 227 and the second support protrusion 228 can be provided with grooves. The two ends of the mounting member 240 are respectively placed in the grooves of the first support protrusion 227 and the second support protrusion 228, and at least one end of the mounting member 240 is limited and engaged with the groove, so that the mounting member 240 will not move relative to the transmission member 220. It should be noted that the mounting member 240 can rotate relative to the transmission member 220 or be completely fixed relative to the transmission member 220.

[0047] The first support protrusion 227 and the second support protrusion 228 described above can be used solely to support the mounting member 240. However, to fully utilize the structure of the second support protrusion 228, the main body member 210 can be provided with a third functional part 213. This third functional part 213 can protrude relative to the outer peripheral surface of the main body member 210. The first end of the elastic member 400 is connected to the third functional part 213, and the third functional part 213 can engage with the second support protrusion 228 for limiting. The second end of the elastic member 400 is connected to the first support protrusion 227. In this embodiment, the second support protrusion 228 can be used to assist in limiting the position of the main body member 210 relative to the transmission member 220, thereby preventing the main body member 210 from rotating too much or becoming unstable due to the action of the elastic member 400 or other factors, thus enabling the camera module to zoom more stably and reliably.

[0048] The number of elastic elements 400 can be one or more. When the main body 210 is a ring-shaped part, the number of elastic elements 400 is at least two. Each elastic element 400 is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body 210. In this case, the elastic elements 400 can absorb external forces at multiple positions, thereby preventing the camera module from having an off-center load problem and improving the reliability of the camera module when it is working.

[0049] This application also discloses an electronic device, which includes the camera module in any of the above embodiments.

[0050] The electronic devices disclosed in this application can be smartphones, tablets, e-book readers, wearable devices (such as smartwatches), video game consoles, etc. This application does not limit the specific types of electronic devices.

[0051] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A camera module, characterized in that, It includes a photosensitive chip, a first lens barrel, a first lens, a rotating assembly, an elastic element, and a drive mechanism, among which, The first lens barrel is provided with the first lens, which is disposed opposite to the photosensitive chip. The first lens barrel is sleeved on the rotating assembly and is connected to the rotating assembly through a first mating protrusion and a first spiral guide groove. The rotating assembly includes a main body and a transmission component that are separately configured. A first end of the elastic element is connected to the main body, and a second end of the elastic element is connected to the transmission component. The driving mechanism is connected to the transmission component. The elastic element can be configured in the following ways: the transmission component has a third end and a fourth end, with a gap between the third end and the fourth end, and the elastic element is sleeved on the transmission component; or, the rotating assembly further includes a mounting component, which is separately configured from the transmission component but connected to it, and the elastic element is sleeved on the mounting component. The driving mechanism sequentially drives the first lens barrel to move along a first direction through the transmission member, the elastic member, and the main body member, under the cooperation of the first mating protrusion and the first spiral guide groove. The first direction is the direction that moves closer to or further away from the photosensitive chip. When the first lens barrel is subjected to an external force, the elastic element causes the first lens barrel to move in a direction closer to the photosensitive chip.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body is a ring-shaped component, and both the transmission component and the elastic component are arranged circumferentially along the main body.

3. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body is provided with a guide groove and a first working part. The transmission member cooperates with the guide groove. The first working part is connected to the first end. A part of the transmission member is located between the side wall of the guide groove and the first working part.

4. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component includes a rack portion and a rod-shaped portion. The rack portion is connected to the drive mechanism. One end of the rack portion is provided with a second working portion, and the second end is connected to the second working portion.

5. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component is a ring-shaped component.

6. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component and the elastic component are arranged in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the camera module.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component is provided with a first support protrusion and a second support protrusion. The mounting component is connected to the first support protrusion and the second support protrusion respectively. The main body is provided with a third function part. The first end is connected to the third function part, and the third function part can be limited and cooperated with the second support protrusion. The second end is connected to the first support protrusion.

8. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body is a ring-shaped component, and the number of elastic components is at least two, with each elastic component arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, Includes the camera module according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images