A variable aperture

Abstract

The application discloses a variable aperture blade setting mode and an avoidance groove structure, a plurality of long blades are overlapped and arranged, and a light passing hole with an adjustable aperture is formed in the middle. Each long blade has a convex outer side and a concave inner side, the outer side is provided with an avoidance groove, and the inner side is combined with other blades to form the adjustable light passing hole. The inner side of the long blade is not a regular straight line, but has a concave arc shape, the hexagonal light passing hole formed in the middle of the rotating blade assembly is not a regular hexagon, but is close to a circular structure. By setting the inner side of each long blade as a gentle arc line and by controlling the position of each long blade, the light passing hole with various sizes can be adjusted, the circularity of the light passing hole can be further ensured, the generation of stray light can be reduced, and the imaging quality of the camera module is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aperture manufacturing technology, and more particularly to a variable aperture that can be used in camera modules. Background Technology

[0002] Aperture is an important factor affecting the image quality of a camera module. The working principle of the camera aperture is as follows: in strong and sufficient light, the camera can obtain a deeper depth of field and a sharper image by narrowing the aperture; while in insufficient light, the camera can increase the amount of light entering the camera by widening the aperture, thus obtaining a cleaner image with higher exposure and lower noise.

[0003] To achieve aperture adjustment, the aperture blades are used to control the aperture size. These blades are a set of overlapping, plate-like components that, when combined, form a nearly circular entrance aperture in the center. The higher the circularity of the entrance aperture, the better the image quality. Rotating the blades adjusts the size of the entrance aperture. By placing these blades at the light inlet of the camera module's optical lens, the aperture can be adjusted to regulate the amount of light entering the lens.

[0004] Currently, there is a method for setting up short blades for the aperture. This involves placing the positioning holes and movable holes on each blade on the same side of the entrance aperture, with multiple short blades overlapping and surrounding each other to form an adjustable light-passing aperture. However, while this type of short blade-formed entrance aperture can effectively adjust the amount of light entering the camera module, the roundness of the formed light-passing aperture does not meet the requirements for accurate imaging. This results in more stray light during imaging, affecting the image quality of the camera module. Furthermore, variable apertures are often used in compact camera modules, requiring them to be located on the top or middle of the module. However, the camera module structure is small in size but has a large image plane, while the aperture diameter needs to vary as much as possible to achieve various depth-of-field effects. The adjustable aperture range formed by overlapping short blades is relatively small, making it difficult to meet imaging requirements. Additionally, camera modules themselves are trending towards miniaturization. How to adapt camera modules to achieve miniaturization of variable apertures are all problems that need to be solved.

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides an aperture structure designed with long blades, which can effectively solve some and most of the problems mentioned above, and also provides an avoidance structure to prevent interference between the long blades during their movement. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, which improves the aperture variation range by setting a blade structure with longer distances between the two ends as fulcrums, the movable end and the fixed end.

[0007] One object of the present invention is to provide a variable aperture blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, wherein the adjustable light-transmitting hole formed by multiple overlapping long blades has high roundness to reduce the generation of stray light.

[0008] One object of the present invention is to provide a variable aperture blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, which makes the multi-blade structure easier to assemble by stacking the blades so that each pair of blades is on the same plane.

[0009] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, wherein corresponding clearance grooves are provided in the middle area of ​​each blade to prevent the blades from interfering with each other during movement.

[0010] One objective of this invention is to provide a variable aperture blade arrangement method and variable aperture structure, which utilizes six long blades in combination, such that the thickness of the uppermost blade is greater than the thickness of the other blades, in order to ensure the accuracy of its opening and mechanically solve the mechanical problem of repetitive blade movement.

[0011] One object of the present invention is to provide a variable aperture blade arrangement and variable aperture structure, wherein the sidewalls of each blade are treated with an anti-light coating, such as coating with an anti-light coating film, to reduce the risk of stray light on the blades.

[0012] One object of the present invention is to provide a variable aperture blade arrangement method and variable aperture structure, which, by overlapping the blades, forms an adjustable light-transmitting aperture when the blades move, thereby reducing the height occupied by the blade structure.

[0013] One object of the present invention is to provide a variable aperture blade setting method and a variable aperture structure, by setting the movable end of the long blade on the movable part and the fixed end of the long blade on the fixed part, and using the fixed end on the fixed part as the rotation center, thereby driving the movable end of the blade to rotate accordingly to form an adjustable light-transmitting hole.

[0014] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, by accommodating the movable part carrier inside the fixed base and setting a drive structure between the fixed base and the movable part, thereby reducing the overall height of the variable aperture structure.

[0015] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, by setting a light shield on the upper surface of the movable part, so that part of the light reflected by the blade is absorbed by the light shield, thereby reducing the risk of stray light forming in the variable aperture.

[0016] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade setting method and a variable aperture structure. By setting corresponding metal injection molded parts inside the movable part and the fixed base of the variable aperture, the strength of the structure itself is enhanced, and the metal parts can also be used to conduct circuits.

[0017] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure, by providing a ball groove between the movable part carrier and the fixed base, using balls to assist the movement of the movable part relative to the fixed base, thereby reducing the friction between the two and reducing the requirement for the driving force of the variable aperture.

[0018] One object of the present invention is to provide a blade arrangement method and a variable aperture structure for a variable aperture, by placing a circuit board on the lower surface of a fixed base and reserving solder pins on the circuit board that are connected to the module structure, so as to ensure the current supply for the operation of the variable aperture.

[0019] Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following detailed description and can be achieved by combinations of the means and devices specifically pointed out in the appended claims. According to one aspect of the invention, a variable aperture is provided, comprising: A rotating blade assembly includes multiple long blades that overlap each other to form an adjustable light-transmitting hole. The long blades include a fixed end, a movable end, and a clearance groove. A movable carrier, wherein the movable end of the long blade is movably connected to the movable carrier; A fixed base is provided, and the fixed end of the long blade is connected to the fixed base. Driver components; In this embodiment, the movable end of at least one of the long blades is disposed in the clearance groove of another long blade, and the movable carrier rotates under the driving action of the driving component, causing the position of the long blade to change, and the aperture size of the light-transmitting hole to change.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fixed end has a positioning hole, the movable end has a movable hole, the positioning hole and the movable hole are respectively disposed at both ends of the long blade, the long side of the movable hole extends toward the optical axis to form a certain length, and the length of the movable hole forms the movable stroke.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the movable carrier includes at least one drive rod, the number of drive rods being the same as the number of long blades, each drive rod being connected to the movable end of the long blade, disposed in the movable hole of each long blade, and moving within the movable stroke defined by the movable hole.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive rod of at least one stack of long blades is disposed in the clearance slot of another long blade.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the long blade includes an outer side away from the optical axis and an inner side close to the optical axis, the outer side being convex and the inner side being concave.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the clearance groove is provided on the outer side of the long blade, and the clearance groove is configured to be recessed inward along the outer side to allow for a certain space.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the length of the movable hole of the long blade is less than or equal to the maximum diameter of the clearance groove on the long blade.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the number of the long blades is at least five, arranged in a ring, and the light-transmitting holes form polygons, the number of sides of the polygons corresponding to the number of the long blades.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inner surface of the long blade has a certain curvature, and the polygonal light-transmitting hole forms an approximately circular structure.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each of the long blades, except for the blades arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner, has a minimum stacking gap with two other blades, and at the same time has a relatively larger stacking gap with other blades or is separated by at least two blades. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the variable aperture with a long blade structure in this application.

[0030] Figure 2 This is an overall schematic diagram of the variable aperture in this application, which includes a housing.

[0031] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the components of the variable aperture structure in this application.

[0032] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of an angle between the movable carrier and the fixed base in this application.

[0033] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the movable carrier and the fixed base from another angle in this application.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after the movable carrier and the fixed base are combined in this application.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating blade in this application.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of a single blade that makes up the rotating blade in this application.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the overall variable aperture structure in this application.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure and magnetic chuck of the variable aperture in this application.

[0039] Figure 11 This is an exploded view of the driving structure, movable carrier, and fixed base in this application.

[0040] Figure 12 This is a structural schematic diagram of the metal injection molded parts of the movable carrier and fixed base in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Before detailing any embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following figures. The invention can have other embodiments and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting. The use of “comprising,” “including,” or “having,” and variations thereof is intended to cover the items set forth below and their equivalents, as well as any additional items. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms “installation,” “connection,” “support,” and “linkage,” and variations thereof are used broadly and cover both direct and indirect installation, connection, support, and linking. Moreover, “connection” and “linkage” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or links.

[0042] Furthermore, firstly, in the disclosure of this invention, the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms should not be construed as limiting this invention. Secondly, the term "a" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more," that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element can be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the element can be multiple. The term "a" should not be construed as a limitation on the quantity.

[0043] During the imaging process, camera modules are extremely sensitive to changes in external light. In bright environments, excessive light entering the lens results in overexposure, making the image too bright. Conversely, insufficient light in low-light environments leads to an underexposed image, affecting image quality. The key technical challenge is controlling the amount of light entering the camera module based on the shooting environment to capture high-quality images in diverse conditions and adapt to complex shooting scenarios.

[0044] To effectively address the impact of external light on imaging in a camera module, a variable aperture structure is proposed. The variable aperture has an adjustable light-passing aperture composed of multiple blades. This adjustable light-passing aperture is positioned at the entrance aperture of the optical lens, ensuring that the center of the adjustable aperture on the variable aperture aligns with the center of the entrance aperture of the optical lens. By controlling the rotation of the blades of the variable aperture, the diameter of the light-passing aperture is changed, thereby altering the amount of light entering the optical lens and adapting to the lighting requirements of different environments.

[0045] This application provides a variable aperture 1 with multiple long blades, such as... Figures 1 to 12 As shown, the variable aperture 1 includes a movable part 10, a driving component 20, a fixed part 30, a circuit component 40, a sensing part 50, and a retaining member 60. The movable part 10 is disposed inside the fixed part 30. Through the action of the driving component 20, the movable part 10 moves relative to the fixed part 30. The circuit component 40 is mainly used to provide the current required for the driving component 20 to work, so as to ensure that the movable part 10 moves relative to the fixed part 30. The sensing part 50 is mainly used to sense the position of the movable part 10, so as to ensure that the adjustable aperture of the variable aperture 1 is adapted to the external light. The retaining member 60 is disposed between the movable part 10 and the fixed part 30 to keep the gap between the movable part 10 and the fixed part 30 fixed, and at the same time, it can reduce the friction between the movable part 10 and the fixed part 30, so as to reduce the driving force requirement of the movable aperture 1 and ensure the miniaturization of the overall structure of the variable aperture 1.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 3As shown, the movable part 10 in this application includes a rotating blade assembly 11, a movable carrier 12, and a light-shielding plate 13. The rotating blade assembly 11 is composed of multiple blades of the same or similar shape. The rotating blade assembly 11 is disposed on the movable carrier 12. During the movement of the movable carrier 12, the rotating blade assembly 11 moves accordingly to form an adjustable light-transmitting hole. The aperture of the light-transmitting hole is h, and the aperture range is h1-h2. The maximum aperture h1 corresponds to the maximum aperture R of the variable aperture 1, and the minimum aperture h2 corresponds to the minimum aperture r of the variable aperture 1. The aperture of the light-transmitting hole is adjusted according to the aperture requirements of the camera module for imaging, so as to meet the imaging needs of the camera module in different environments. The light-shielding plate 13 is disposed below the rotating blade assembly 11, and its main function is to block light passing through the gaps in the rotating blade assembly 11 to prevent stray light from being generated during imaging. In one specific embodiment, a light-absorbing coating layer, such as an anti-reflective film, can be provided on the light-shielding sheet 13. The low-refractive-index material layer and the high-refractive-index material layer are alternately provided multiple times. For example, the materials are chromium oxide and silicon dioxide, respectively, with corresponding thicknesses of 30nm~500nm and 10nm~20nm, to absorb light.

[0047] In this application, the variable aperture 1, through the movable part 10, drives the blades of the rotating blade assembly 11 to rotate, forming an adjustable light-transmitting aperture, such as... Figures 7 to 8As shown, the rotating blade assembly 11 is composed of multiple overlapping elongated blades of the same or similar shape. In some optional embodiments, the rotating blade assembly 11 has six blades, namely a first blade 111, a second blade 112, a third blade 113, a fourth blade 114, a fifth blade 115, and a sixth blade 116. The first to sixth blades have the same or similar shapes. Taking the first blade 111 as an example, the shape of each elongated blade is described. The first blade 111 has a fixed end 111A, a movable end 111B, and a clearance groove 111C. The fixed end 111A has a positioning hole so that the fixed end 111A of the first blade 111 is fixed to the fixing part 30 through the positioning hole. The movable end 111B has a movable hole. The positioning hole and the movable hole are respectively located at both ends of the first blade 111. The movable aperture has a certain length, and its long side extends towards the optical axis (the direction of the optical axis is perpendicular to the extension direction). This allows the movable end 111B of the first blade 111 to be connected to the movable part 10, and the first blade 111 is driven by the movable part 10 to move within the stroke limited by the movable aperture. By setting both ends as fulcrums, the distance between the movable end 111B and the fixed end 111A is increased, thereby improving the aperture variation range. The distance between the center of the positioning hole and the center of the movable aperture is d1, and the distance between the fixed end and the movable end is d2, where 1 > d1 / d2 > 2 / 3. The diameter of the adjustable light-transmitting aperture is h, where 1 / 3 > h / d1 > 1 / 5. At least one clearance groove 111C is provided at the middle position of the side of the first blade 111 away from the optical axis, and the movable end 113B (not shown) of the long blade 113 that the first blade 111 avoids is provided in the clearance groove 111C of the first blade 111. In some optional embodiments of this application, the clearance groove 111C is located on the side of the first blade 111 relatively close to the fixed end 111A, and it is recessed inward along one side of the first blade 111 to make room for a certain space, so as to ensure the normal movement of other blades, especially to avoid the drive rod of the movable part connected to the movable end of other blades.

[0048] Furthermore, the line connecting the center of the positioning hole and the center of the movable hole passes through the light-transmitting hole. The line connecting the center of the positioning hole and the center of the movable hole corresponding to each long blade forms a polygon, which remains within the light-transmitting hole as the light-transmitting hole changes. The centers of the movable holes of each long blade are connected to form an inner regular polygon, which covers the light-transmitting hole. Furthermore, each long blade (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) has a raised arc-shaped outer side on the side away from the optical axis, and at least one clearance groove (111C, 112C, 113C, 114C, 115C, 116C) is provided on the outer side of each long blade (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116). The clearance groove is configured to recess inward along the outer edge to allow for a certain space. In one specific embodiment, the clearance groove (111C, 112C, 113C, 114C, 115C, 116C) is approximately semi-circular in shape to reserve space for the movement of each drive rod.

[0049] Specifically, the second blade 112 has a fixed end 112A, a movable end 112B, and a clearance groove 112C; the third blade 113 has a fixed end 113A, a movable end 113B, and a clearance groove 113C; the fourth blade 114 has a fixed end 114A, a movable end 114B, and a clearance groove 114C; the fifth blade 115 has a fixed end 115A, a movable end 115B, and a clearance groove 115C; and the sixth blade 116 has a fixed end 116A, a movable end 116B, and a clearance groove 116C. Each blade has a positioning hole at its fixed end, a movable hole at its movable end, and a clearance groove on its side. The blades overlap each other, with one stacking configuration where the first blade 111 is positioned on the lower surface of the second blade 112, the second blade 112 on the lower surface of the third blade 113, the fourth blade 114 on the lower surface of the fifth blade 115, and the fifth blade 115 on the lower surface of the sixth blade 116, forming a rotating blade assembly 11. The sixth blade 116 is positioned at the top of the rotating blade assembly 11. An adjustable light-transmitting hole is formed in the center of the rotating blade assembly 11, the size of which can be adjusted according to the different positions of the blades. In one optional embodiment of this application, the first blade 111 and the fourth blade 114 are disposed on the same plane at the bottom, the second blade 112 and the fifth blade 115 are disposed on the same plane above the first blade 111 and the fourth blade 114, and the third blade 113 and the sixth blade 116 are disposed on the same plane above the first blade 111 and the fourth blade 114. At the same time, the third blade 113 and the sixth blade 116 are located at the top. In other words, each blade, except for the centrally symmetrically arranged blades, has a minimum stacking gap with two other blades, and has a relatively larger stacking gap with other blades or is separated by at least two blades. By assembling the centrally symmetrically arranged blades simultaneously, the difficulty of assembly can be reduced, and the possibility of interference between blades can be reduced.

[0050] Furthermore, the drive rods (1231, 1232, 1233, 1234, 1245, 1246) adapted to at least one stack of long blades (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) are disposed within the clearance slot (111C, 112C, 113C, 114C, 115C, 116C) region. For example, the drive rod 1232 adapted to blade 112 is disposed within the clearance slot region of the long blades 116 stacked adjacent to long blade 112.

[0051] In this application, the long blades are stacked and an adjustable light-transmitting hole is formed around the middle of the blade group. This stacked arrangement of blades can easily cause interference between them during movement. By providing clearance grooves on each blade to avoid the movement range of the movable hole and the drive rod during blade movement, the problem of interference between blades during movement is solved. Preferably, the length of the movable hole of the blade is less than or equal to the maximum diameter of the clearance groove.

[0052] In a specific implementation, since the blades need to undergo multiple position adjustments, to ensure the mechanical reliability of the blades during the adjustment process, a multi-layer design, such as a 2-3 layer design, is required to ensure that the movement of each layer of blades does not affect each other. To reduce the overall thickness of the rotating blade assembly 11 while ensuring that the blades do not deform, the thickness of each blade is not less than 0.02 mm. The size of the adjustable light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11 is related to the position of each blade. When the movable hole on the movable end of the rotating blade assembly 11 is at its maximum stroke, the aperture diameter of the light-transmitting aperture is at its maximum h1; when the movable hole on the movable end of the rotating blade assembly 11 is at its minimum stroke, the aperture diameter of the light-transmitting aperture is at its minimum h2. Specifically, the maximum aperture diameter h1 of the light-transmitting aperture corresponds to the maximum aperture R of the variable aperture 1, and the minimum aperture diameter h2 of the light-transmitting aperture corresponds to the minimum aperture r of the variable aperture 1. During the shooting process, the aperture of the variable aperture 1 can be varied within rR according to changes in the external environment.

[0053] In this application, to ensure the variable aperture 1 has the largest possible aperture range, the length of each blade is designed to be as long as possible. Compared to conventional designs where the movable and fixed ends are located on the same side of the light-transmitting aperture, in this application, the movable and fixed ends of each blade are located on opposite sides of the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11. To avoid ambiguity, "the movable and fixed ends are located on opposite sides of the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade 11" means that the angle formed by the movable and fixed ends and the optical axis is not less than 90 degrees. Furthermore, due to the relatively long variable aperture blades, when viewed from a projection angle along the optical axis, each pair of blades appears to be positioned within the same plane.

[0054] like Figures 4 to 6 as well as Figure 12As shown, the movable part 10 in this application also includes a movable carrier 12. The movable carrier 12 is mainly used to drive the rotating blade assembly 11 to move, thereby changing the light transmission aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11. The movable carrier 12 is a plastic part formed by injection molding of a metal insert 121. The metal insert 121 inside the movable carrier 12 is used to enhance the strength of the plastic part while ensuring that the movable carrier 12 can be as thin and light as possible. The movable carrier 12 has multiple extension portions 122 that extend outward along the main body of the movable carrier 12 in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. A magnet mounting position 126 is formed on the lower surface of the extension portion 122. In some optional embodiments, the magnet mounting position 126 is an integrally formed magnet mounting groove with the extension portion 122. Alternatively, the magnet mounting position 126 can be re-formed after the extension portion 126 is formed. Corresponding metal inserts 121 are provided at the positions of the magnet mounting positions 126 to enhance their strength and ensure a thinner local magnet mounting position. The movable carrier 12 further includes at least one drive rod 123, at least one second ball groove 124, and at least one position detection groove 125. In an optional embodiment of this application, there are six drive rods 123, each drive rod 123 being connected to the movable end of the rotating blade assembly 11. Furthermore, each drive rod 123 is disposed in a movable hole at the movable end of each blade and moves within a movable stroke defined by the movable hole. The second ball groove 124 is located on the lower surface of the movable carrier 12. In an optional embodiment of this application, the movable carrier 12 has three or more second ball grooves 124, specifically six, to ensure the flatness of the installation of the movable part 10 and the fixed part 30. The position sensor 125 is disposed in a recess on the lower surface of the movable carrier 12 for detecting the position of the movable carrier 12.

[0055] In one specific implementation, such as Figure 3 and 4As shown, the drive rod 123 on the movable carrier 12 is mainly used to connect with the movable end of the blade of the rotating blade assembly 11 through the movable hole. The drive rod 123 extends integrally from the upper surface of the carrier 12. The drive rod 123 has a small cylindrical structure, with one end fixed to the movable carrier 12 and the other end being a free end. The free end of the drive rod 123 extends upward from the surface of the movable carrier 12 and passes through the movable hole on the movable end of the blade. The drive rod 123 moves within the stroke limited by the movable hole on the movable end of the blade, and drives the blade to move accordingly. Furthermore, there are multiple drive rods 123 on the movable carrier 12. In a specific embodiment, the number of drive rods 123 is the same as the number of rotating blades 12. In this application, there are six rotating blades, resulting in six drive rods 123. The drive rods 123 are evenly arranged along the light-transmitting holes on the upper surface of the movable carrier 12.

[0056] In specific implementations, such as Figure 4 As shown, along the outer diameter of the light-transmitting hole, there are sequentially a first drive rod 1231, a second drive rod 1232, a third drive rod 1233, a fourth drive rod 1234, a fifth drive rod 1235, and a sixth drive rod 1236. The first drive rod 1231 is disposed in the movable hole on the movable end 111B of the first blade, and the second drive rod 1232 is disposed in the movable hole on the movable end 112B of the second blade. They are disposed in this order until the sixth drive rod 1236 is disposed in the movable hole on the movable end 116B of the sixth blade. When the drive rod 123 moves with the movable carrier 123, it drives the blade connected to it to move, thereby realizing the adjustment of the position of each blade to change the diameter of the light-transmitting hole formed by the rotating blade assembly 11. The number of drive rods 123 on the movable carrier 12 can also be multiple, and their number can be consistent with the number of rotating blade assemblies 11. In other embodiments, such as when the number of rotating blade assemblies 11 is eight, the number of drive rods 123 on the movable carrier 12 is also eight. The number of drive rods 123 is not limited to the above examples. The number of drive rods 123 on the movable carrier 12 is set according to the specific requirements of the variable aperture 1, which will not be elaborated here.

[0057] In this application, as Figure 6As shown, the movable carrier 12 is mainly housed in the fixed part 30. The movable carrier 12 mainly moves relative to the fixed part 30, and its travel is limited to the inner groove of the fixed part 30. In one specific embodiment, the movable carrier 12 rotates relative to the fixed part 30 along the direction about the optical axis, and the rotation angle is ≤±6°. The fixed part 30 includes a fixed base 31, a housing 32, and a mounting plate 33. The housing 32 is disposed above the fixed base 31 and forms an accommodating space with the fixed base 31. The accommodating space houses the movable carrier 12 to ensure that the movable carrier 12 moves within the accommodating space when it moves, thereby providing protection for the movable carrier 12. The mounting plate 33 is disposed on the lower end face of the fixing base 31, mainly to ensure the flatness of the lower surface of the fixing base 31. In this application, the variable aperture 1 is mainly disposed at the light entrance hole of the optical lens. In order to control the amount of light entering the optical lens, the lower surface of the fixing base 31 is mainly used to bond and fix the optical lens. In order to further reduce the height of the camera module, the variable aperture 1 is mainly disposed at the shoulder position of the optical lens. Therefore, the higher the flatness of the lower surface of the fixing base 31, the more stable the bonding between the variable aperture 1 and the optical lens.

[0058] Furthermore, such as Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the fixed base 31 is adapted to the movable carrier 12, and includes a base bottom surface 311, a base side wall 312 and a fixing rod 313. The base side wall 312 extends integrally upward from the base bottom surface 311, and the base side wall 312 and the base bottom surface 311 form the receiving space of the movable carrier 12. The base bottom surface 311 has a light-transmitting hole 3111, a coil mounting position 3112, a first ball groove 3113, a sensor through hole 3114, a bottom through hole 3116, and a magnetic chuck mounting position 3117. The light-transmitting hole 3111 is mainly used for the passage of light, and its center position is consistent with the center position of the variable aperture 1. The coil mounting position 3112 is set on the side of the base bottom surface 311 close to the movable carrier 12, and there are multiple coil mounting positions 3112. The first ball groove 3113 is set on the upper surface of the base bottom surface 311. In an optional embodiment of this application, the base bottom surface 311 has more than three first ball grooves 3113, specifically six. The number and position of the first ball grooves 3113 on the base bottom surface 311 correspond to the number and position of the second ball grooves 124 on the movable carrier 12.

[0059] The first ball groove 3113 and the second ball groove 124 form the motion track of the movable carrier 12. Specifically, in this application, the movable carrier 12 mainly rotates relative to the fixed base 31. Therefore, the first ball groove 3113 and the second ball groove 124 are arc-shaped grooves to ensure the rotation of the movable carrier 12. The sensor through hole 3114 and the controller mounting position 3115 are formed from the recess of the bottom surface 311 of the base. The bottom through hole 3116 is mainly used to set the signal of the variable aperture 1. Detection elements, such as position sensors or controllers; the magnetic chuck mounting position 3117 is mainly used to set the magnetic chuck. The second ball groove 124 on the movable carrier 12 and the first ball groove 3113 on the base bottom surface 311 of the fixed base 31 form the motion track of the variable aperture 1. In order to maintain the stability of its track and ensure that the movable carrier 12 is held inside the fixed base 31, the magnetic structure is used to maintain the stability of its track so that the movable carrier 12 can rotate relative to the fixed base 31 in a predetermined direction.

[0060] like Figure 12 As shown, furthermore, in order to enhance the strength of the fixed base 31, a metal part 3118 is also injection molded inside the bottom surface 311 of the base. The metal part 3118 is integrally formed with the fixed base 31. In a specific embodiment, the metal part 3118 injection molded inside the bottom surface 311 of the fixed base 31 can also play a corresponding circuit conduction role. Part of the structure of the metal part 3118 is exposed on the bottom surface 311 of the base, and the exposed part is connected to the circuit assembly 40 in this application to provide the current required for the operation of some components on the fixed base 31.

[0061] In this application, as Figure 4As shown, the fixed base 31 also has a base sidewall 312, which extends upward from the base bottom surface 311. The base sidewall 312 itself has a side protrusion 3121 and a movable opening 3122. The side protrusion 3121 extends from the base sidewall 312 along the optical axis. There are multiple side protrusions 3122, which are evenly arranged on the base sidewall 312. A movable opening 3122 is formed between two adjacent side protrusions 3121. The movable opening 3122 is mainly used to accommodate the extension portion 122 on the movable carrier 12. The extension portion 122 moves within the space formed by the movable opening 3122 to limit the movement stroke of the extension portion 122. The number of side protrusions 3121 on the base sidewall 312 can be multiple. In one specific embodiment, the number of side protrusions 3121 is the same as the number of rotating blade assemblies 11, and there are six side protrusions 3121. The number of movable openings 3122 formed by them is also six. The six extensions 122 of the movable carrier 12 are respectively accommodated in the movable openings 3122 formed on the base sidewall 312. Since the movable carrier 12 and the extensions 122 are integrally formed, the movement stroke of the extensions 122 is limited by the movable openings 3122 formed on the base sidewall 312. In this application, the angle at which the extensions 122 can rotate relative to the sidewall protrusions 3121 is ±6°. Therefore, the angle at which the movable carrier 12 can rotate relative to the fixed base 31 is also ±6°. The structure of the sidewall protrusions 312 is used to limit the movement stroke of the movable carrier 12.

[0062] In one specific embodiment, such as Figures 7 to 8As shown, the fixed ends of each blade of the rotating blade assembly 11 are fixedly connected to the fixed base 31. Each fixed end of the rotating blade assembly 11 has a positioning hole, which is mainly used to connect with the fixed base 31. The fixed base 31 is in a fixed state during the movement of the rotating blade assembly 11. By connecting the fixed ends of each blade of the rotating blade assembly 11 to the fixed base 31, the movable ends of each blade of the rotating blade assembly 11 can move relative to the fixed base 31. The fixed base 31 has at least one fixing rod 313, which is disposed on the upper surface of the side protrusion 3121. The fixing rod 313 is a small cylinder extending upward from the upper surface of the side protrusion 3121. One end of the fixing rod 313 is fixed to the upper surface of the side protrusion 3121, and the other end is a free end. The free end of the fixing rod 313 extends upward from the upper surface of the side protrusion 3121 and passes through the positioning hole on the fixing end of each blade. The fixing rod 313 is fixed to the positioning hole on the fixing end of each blade, and rotation is performed with the fixing rod 313 as the fixed point. The diameter of each blade fixing hole is greater than or equal to the diameter of the drive rod 131. In one specific embodiment, the diameter of the fixing rod 313 is greater than the diameter of the positioning hole on each blade fixing end, so that the fixing end of the rotating blade assembly 11 is fixed to the fixing base 31 by the fixing rod 313 on the fixing base 31 to form the rotation fulcrum of the rotating blade assembly 11.

[0063] like Figure 6As shown, further, there are multiple fixing rods 313. In one specific embodiment, the number of fixing rods 313 is the same as the number of rotating blade assemblies 11. In this application, there are six rotating blade assemblies 11 and six fixing rods 313, which are respectively the first fixing rod 3131, the second fixing rod 3132, the third fixing rod 3133, the fourth fixing rod 3134, the fifth fixing rod 3135 and the sixth fixing rod 3136. The first fixing rod 3131 is fixed to the positioning hole on the first blade fixing end 111A, the second fixing rod 3132 is fixed to the positioning hole on the second blade fixing end 112A, and so on, until the sixth fixing rod 3136 is fixed to the positioning hole on the sixth blade fixing end 116A. According to the above description, the fixed end of the rotating blade assembly 11 is fixedly connected to the fixed rod 313 on the fixed base 31, and the movable end of the rotating blade assembly 11 is movably connected to the drive rod 123 on the movable carrier 12. The rotating blade assembly 11 is stacked to form the light-transmitting aperture of the variable aperture 1. During the movement of the movable carrier 12 relative to the fixed base 31, the movable end of the rotating blade assembly 11 is driven to move, so that the rotating blade assembly 11 moves with the fixed rod 313 on the fixed base 31 as the rotation center, thereby changing the position of each blade in the rotating blade assembly 11, thereby adjusting the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11 within the range of h1-h2.

[0064] Furthermore, each long blade in the rotating blade assembly 11 has a positioning hole at the fixed end as its rotation center. When these rotation centers are connected to each other, they form an outer regular polygon. The number of sides of the outer regular polygon corresponds to the number of the long blades.

[0065] In this application, such as Figure 2As shown, the outer shell 32 covers the upper surface of the fixed base 31, forming an accommodating space with the fixed base 31. In order to further reduce the height of the variable aperture 1, the outer shell 32 is provided with a light entrance hole 321 and a movable channel 322 for the drive rod 123. The light entrance hole 321 is mainly used for the passage of light. The diameter of the light entrance hole 321 is consistent with the maximum aperture R of the variable aperture 1 and remains unchanged during the movement of the rotating blade assembly 11. A drive rod movable channel 322 is provided at the position corresponding to the movable hole of the rotating blade assembly 11. The length of the movable channel 322 is greater than the moving stroke of the drive rod 123 to ensure that the drive rod 123 moves within the drive rod movable channel 322 on the outer shell 32. In addition to limiting the movable stroke of the drive rod 123, the housing 32 also provides protection for the rotating blade assembly 11 since it is covered by the housing. Furthermore, to prevent the housing 32 from interfering with the movement of the rotating blade assembly 11, a certain gap is left between the housing 32 and the rotating blade assembly 11 during installation. This gap not only solves the problem of interference caused by the housing 32 but also provides effective protection for the rotating blade assembly 11. Furthermore, such as Figure 11As shown, when the movable carrier 12 moves relative to the fixed base 31, a corresponding driving force needs to be provided to the movable carrier 12. Therefore, this application also includes a driving assembly 20, which is disposed between the movable carrier 12 and the fixed base 31. In this application, the driving assembly 20 includes a driving magnet 21 and a driving coil 22. The driving magnet 21 is installed in a magnet mounting position 126 formed on the movable carrier 12, and the driving coil 22 is disposed on a coil mounting position 3112 reserved on the fixed base 31. The positions of the driving magnet 21 and the driving coil 22 are corresponding. When the drive coil 21 is energized, the magnetic field generated around it interacts with the drive magnet 21 to drive the movable carrier 12 fixed to the drive magnet 21 to move. The movable carrier 12 is connected to the movable end of the rotating blade assembly 11. The fixed base 31 is the fixed end of the rotating blade assembly 11. When the movable carrier 12 rotates relative to the fixed base 31 under the action of the drive structure 40, the movable ends of each blade movably connected to the movable carrier 12 rotate around the fixed rod 313 on the fixed base 31, thereby driving the rotating blade assembly 11 to move and change the position of each blade to adjust the size of the light-transmitting hole formed by the rotating blade assembly 11. Specifically, in this application, the driving component 20 can also be other driving structures, such as piezoelectric structures or SMA driving components. When the driving component 20 is a piezoelectric structure, the movable carrier 12 rotates relative to the fixed base 31 under the action of the piezoelectric structure. With the fixed rod 313 on the fixed base 31 as the rotation center, the rotating blade assembly 11 is driven to move to adjust the light transmission aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11. The specific driving method of the driving component can be selected according to the specific requirements of the variable aperture 1.

[0066] Furthermore, such as Figure 11As shown, in order to ensure that the diameter of the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11 meets the requirements for imaging, it is necessary to sense the movement position of the rotating blade assembly 11. Therefore, this application also provides a sensing unit 50, which is mainly used to sense the position of the movable carrier 12. The rotating blade assembly 11 is disposed on the movable carrier 12, and the position of each blade changes accordingly as the movable carrier 12 rotates. The diameter of the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11 is related to the rotation angle of the movable carrier 12. This is only an example, such as the rotation angle of the movable carrier 12 being equal to 5 or 6 times the diameter of the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11. Since the rotation angle of the movable carrier 12 is fixedly related to the diameter of the rotating blade assembly 11, controlling the rotation of the movable carrier 12 by a certain angle can drive the rotating blade assembly 11 to rotate to form the required diameter of the light-transmitting aperture. Therefore, in this application, in order to further simplify the structure of the sensing unit 50, the position of the rotating blade assembly 11 can be indirectly sensed by sensing the position of the movable carrier 12.

[0067] In one specific embodiment, the sensing unit 50 includes a position sensing magnet 51 and a position sensing sensor 52. The position sensing magnet 51 is disposed in a position detection groove 125 on the movable carrier 12, so as to move with the movement of the movable carrier 12. The position sensing sensor 52 is disposed in a sensor through hole 3114 reserved on the fixed base 31. The position sensing sensor 52 is fixedly disposed relative to the fixed base 31. The position sensing sensor 52 corresponds to the initial position of the position sensing magnet 51. When the position sensing magnet 51 moves with the movable carrier 12, the position sensing sensor 52 receives a signal of position change of the movable carrier 12, so as to sense the position of the movable carrier 12 in real time. In this application, the light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11 has a certain quantitative relationship with the rotation angle of the movable carrier 12. The position of the movable carrier 12 is detected by the sensing unit 50, so that the driving assembly 20 drives the movable carrier 12 to rotate by a predetermined angle, so that the light-transmitting aperture formed by each blade of the rotating blade assembly 11 adapts to the aperture requirements of shooting in the external environment.

[0068] In one specific embodiment of this application, such as Figure 10As shown, a circuit assembly 40 is also provided to ensure the normal operation of the variable aperture 1. The drive assembly 20 and the sensing unit 50 require corresponding current to function properly. The circuit assembly 40 can be a circuit board 41, which is a rigid-flex board. It includes a main circuit board 411 and solder pins 412. The main circuit board 411 can be a rigid board portion, fixed to the bottom surface 311 of the mounting base 31. It is connected to the drive coil 22 through a pre-drilled bottom through-hole 3116 on the mounting base 31 to provide the driving coil 22 with operating current. The solder pins 412 extend integrally from both sides of the main circuit board 411 and are connected to an external power supply device to provide the variable aperture 1 with the required operating current. The shape of the main circuit board 411 of the circuit assembly 40 is consistent with the shape of the base bottom surface 311 of the fixed base 31. The main circuit board 411 is fixed to the lower surface of the fixed base 31 to save the space occupied by the circuit board 41. In this application, the lower surface of the fixed base 31 is also provided with a mounting plate 33. The circuit assembly 40 can be disposed on the lower surface of the mounting plate 33 to ensure the flatness of the bottom surface of the fixed base 31.

[0069] The variable aperture 1 in this application also includes a retaining element 60, such as Figure 9 As shown, the retaining member 60 allows the movable carrier 12 to move relative to the fixed base 31 under the action of the driving structure 40, and allows the movable carrier 21 to return to its initial position after the driving force is removed. Specifically, the retaining member 60 includes a ball 62 and a magnetic plate 63. The magnetic plate 63 and the driving magnet 23 interact to hold the movable carrier 12 inside the fixed base 31. Furthermore, in this application, the movable carrier 12 needs to rotate relative to the fixed base 31. In order to reduce the frictional force between the fixed base 31 and the movable carrier 12, a corresponding ball groove is provided between the movable carrier 12 and the fixed base 31. The movable carrier 12 has a second ball groove 124, and the fixed base 31 opposite to the movable carrier 12 has a first ball groove 3113 on one side. The ball 62 is confined between the first ball groove 3113 and the second ball groove 124 to reduce the frictional force when the movable carrier 12 rotates relative to the fixed base 31. Furthermore, the magnetic attracting piece 60 in this application can also confine the ball 62 within the ball groove to ensure the rotational movement of the movable carrier 12 relative to the fixed base 31.

[0070] In this application, as Figure 11As shown, the retainer 60 can contain multiple balls 62. These balls 62 are positioned within the track formed by the first ball groove 3113 on the fixed base 31 and the second ball groove 124 on the movable carrier 12, thereby reducing friction when the movable carrier 12 moves relative to the fixed base 31. To match the movement path of the movable carrier 12, the track formed by the first ball groove 3131 and the second ball groove 124 can be arc-shaped, and the balls 62 are confined within this arc-shaped track to assist the movement of the movable carrier 12.

[0071] Furthermore, since the movable carrier 12 and the fixed base 31 are two different components, in order for the track they form to confine the ball 62 within it, as... Figures 9 to 12 As shown, the magnetic chuck 63 is positioned corresponding to the coil mounting position 3112 on the fixed base 311, and is located on the opposite side of the base bottom surface 311 corresponding to the coil mounting position 3112. Specifically, the magnetic chuck 63 can be a sheet-like metal structure, which is disposed on the lower surface of the fixed base 31. The main circuit board 411 is fixed on the lower surface of the fixed base 31, and the magnetic chuck 63 can be fixed on the main circuit board 411, interacting with the driving magnet 21 fixed in the magnet mounting position 126 on the movable carrier 12, so that the movable carrier 12 is held inside the fixed base 31, and the track formed by the first ball groove 3113 and the second ball groove 124 restricts the ball 62 within, so as to ensure the movement of the movable carrier 12 relative to the fixed base.

[0072] In this application, the retaining member 60 is not limited to a structure composed of a ball bearing 62 and a magnetic chuck 63. In another specific embodiment, the retaining member 60 can also be a spring-loaded structure. The spring-loaded structure is elastic, with one end connected to the movable carrier 12 and the other end connected to the fixed base 31. When the movable carrier 12 moves relative to the fixed base 31 under the action of the driving structure 40, the movable carrier 12 can return to its initial position under the action of the spring-loaded structure when the driving force is removed. Furthermore, to keep the movable carrier 12 inside the fixed base 31, one end of the spring-loaded structure is disposed on the movable carrier 12, and the other end is disposed on the fixed base 31. There can be multiple spring-loaded structures; in one specific embodiment, there are two spring-loaded structures evenly distributed on the fixed base 31. The spring can hold the movable carrier 12 inside the fixed base 31. When the movable carrier 12 drives the rotating blade assembly 11 to move under the action of the driving force, after the driving force disappears, the elastic restoring force of the spring itself causes the spring to drive the movable carrier 12 back to the initial position.

[0073] The variable aperture 1 provided in this application is formed by overlapping multiple long blades to create a rotating blade assembly 11. The fixed end of each blade is fixedly connected to a fixed rod 313 on a fixed base 31, and the movable end of each blade is movably connected to a drive rod 123 on a movable carrier 12. Using the fixed rod 313 on the fixed base 31 as the rotation center of each blade, when the drive assembly 20 drives the movable carrier 12 to move along a predetermined ball bearing track, the position of each blade in the rotating blade assembly 11 also moves accordingly. Since a light-transmitting aperture is formed at the center of the rotating blade assembly 11, and the size of this aperture is related to the position of each blade, when the position of each blade changes, the diameter of the formed light-transmitting aperture also changes. Because the variable aperture 1 is located at the light entrance of the camera module's optical lens, when the light-transmitting aperture of the variable aperture 1 changes, the amount of light entering the optical lens can be altered to adapt to different external environments, thereby improving the imaging quality of the camera module.

[0074] Furthermore, the adjustable light-transmitting aperture formed by the rotating blade assembly 11 has a higher degree of roundness (closeness to a circle) than the actual circularity of the aperture, resulting in less stray light generated during imaging. Theoretically, the more blades there are in this application, the higher the roundness of the adjustable light-transmitting aperture. However, for ease of manufacturing and subsequent assembly, the number of long blades is at least five. In one specific embodiment, the number of long blades is six, and the hexagonal light-transmitting aperture formed in the middle of the blades effectively reduces the risk of stray light and facilitates assembly in subsequent processes. Specifically, in this application, each long blade rotates around the positioning hole at the fixed end as its rotation center and the length of the movable hole at the movable end as its travel distance, thereby increasing the distance between the positioning end and the fixed end of the long blade and increasing the adjustable range of the aperture.

[0075] In this application, each long blade has a protruding outer side and a recessed inner side. The outer side is provided with a clearance groove, and the inner side, combined with other blades, forms an adjustable light-transmitting hole. The inner side of the long blade is not a regular straight line, but a curve with a certain curvature, preferably a recessed arc. Therefore, the hexagonal light-transmitting hole formed in the middle of the rotating blade assembly 11 is not a regular hexagon, but an approximate hexagonal structure, and further, more closely approximates a circular structure. In one specific embodiment, the inner side of the long blade has a relatively gentle inwardly recessed curvature. When the drive rod moves with the movable carrier 12, it drives the movable end of the long blade movably connected to it to move. When the drive rod is in different positions within the movable hole, the inner surface of the long blade combines light-transmitting holes of different diameters. By setting the inner edge of each long blade to a gentle arc and controlling the position of each drive rod within the movable hole, the aperture diameter of various sizes can be adjusted. This also further ensures the roundness of the aperture, reduces stray light generation, and improves the imaging quality of the camera module.

[0076] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. The objectives of the present invention have been fully and effectively achieved. The functional and structural principles of the present invention have been demonstrated and explained in the embodiments, and any modifications or variations of the embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from these principles.

Claims

1. A variable aperture, characterized by, include: A rotating blade assembly includes multiple long blades that overlap each other to form an adjustable light-transmitting hole. The long blades include a fixed end, a movable end, and a clearance groove. A movable carrier, wherein the movable end of the long blade is movably connected to the movable carrier; A fixed base is provided, and the fixed end of the long blade is connected to the fixed base. Driver components; In this structure, every two long blades are symmetrically arranged on the same plane, forming a three-layer stacked structure. The clearance grooves of the two long blades in the top layer avoid the movable ends of the two long blades in the middle layer. The clearance grooves of the two long blades in the middle layer avoid the movable ends of the two long blades in the bottom layer. The clearance grooves of the two long blades in the bottom layer avoid the movable ends of the two long blades in the top layer. The movable carrier rotates under the driving action of the driving component, causing the position of the long blades to change, and the aperture size of the light-transmitting hole to change.

2. The variable aperture of claim 1, wherein, The fixed end has a positioning hole, and the movable end has a movable hole. The positioning hole and the movable hole are respectively located at both ends of the long blade. The long side of the movable hole extends towards the optical axis to form a certain length, and the length of the movable hole forms the movement stroke.

3. The variable aperture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The movable carrier includes at least one drive rod, the number of drive rods being the same as the number of long blades. Each drive rod is connected to the movable end of the long blade, disposed in the movable hole of each long blade, and moves within the movable stroke defined by the movable hole.

4. The variable aperture according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive rod of at least one stack of long blades is disposed in the clearance slot of another long blade.

5. The variable aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The long blade includes an outer side away from the optical axis and an inner side close to the optical axis. The outer side is convex and the inner side is concave.

6. The variable aperture according to claim 5, characterized in that, The clearance groove is provided on the outer side of the long blade, and the clearance groove is configured to be recessed inward along the outer side to allow for a certain space.

7. The variable aperture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The length of the movable hole on the long blade is less than or equal to the maximum diameter of the clearance groove on the long blade.

8. The variable aperture according to claim 5, characterized in that, The number of long blades is at least five, arranged in a ring, and the light-transmitting holes form polygons, with the number of sides of the polygons corresponding to the number of long blades.

9. The variable aperture according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner surface of the long blade has a certain curvature, and the polygonal light-transmitting hole forms an approximately circular structure.

10. The variable aperture according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned long blades, except for those arranged symmetrically in the center, has a minimum stacking gap with two other blades, and at the same time has a relatively larger stacking gap with other blades or is separated by at least two blades.

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